The wisdom of Amy Chua
Currently reading a book by Amy Chua titled "World on Fire: How exporting free market democracy breeds ethnic hatred and global instability".
It's a fantastic book, as informative as a Chomsky book but far more readable (Chua is in her 40s as opposed to Chomsky who is 70s/80s I think... so her language is a lot more in touch).
Although Chua's book discusses the fallout related to globalisation, she is not your typical anti-globalisation writer. Chua chronicles various situations around the world where an ethnic minority maintains market dominance over a nation and its ethnic majority. Examples of this are the Chinese all over South-East Asia (Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Burma), Jews in Russia, "Whites" in Latin America, Lebanese in West Africa, Tutsis in Rwanda, Croats in Yugoslavia, Whites in Southern Africa, The Ibo and Kikuyu in Nigeria, etc.
Chua discusses these situations in the context of America's drive to develop free market democracies and the explosive consequences this can have (ie. the free market furthers the economic dominance of the minority, the political empowerment of democracy gives rise to demogoguery and hijacking by populist leaders who appeal through racism and ethnic scapegoating). The examples of genocide in Rwanda, civil war in Yugoslavia, violent riots in Indonesia, etc, are a harrowing wake-up call to those who live in Western societies where ethnic majorities control the country's wealth (Australia, UK, US, China, Japan, Singapore...), to us this sort of ethnic conflict and violence is unimaginable.
It also makes me think about what impact positive leadership can have on these communities... and what impact negative leadership has had. Especially Africa, is a continent crying out for positive leadership. The impact of leaders like Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Charles Taylor of Liberia and now Moi of Nigeria, that openly promote ethnic hatred, corruption and cronyism, is truly profound... and there are so many more. Post-colonial Africa is a hotbed for these sorts of "leaders". AIESEC's impact is desperately needed here. The AIESEC eXPerience must succeed in developing culturally sensitive, socially responsible leaders in these areas.
The problems in the developing world are second-to-none. Our petty social issues do not compare to 3 weeks of violence in Rwanda that resulted in 800,000 dead and 100,000s more raped, robbed and displaced... and all they needed was one strong person to stand up and unite the country. These people do exist, rather the potential for them does.
posted by LX @ 10:08 PM
Comments: 11
