The Return of Asia in the 21st Century

Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Kishore Mahbubani, discusses his latest book, The Asian 21st Century, in which he relates US decline to the rise of plutocracy and Asia’s renewed rise - after having fallen behind in the last 200 years - to its growing sense of dynamism, optimism, and diversity. This is the 200th episode of the podcast Economics and Beyond with Rob Johnson.

[you-to-beornot-to-be]

Amazing how brave you can be with someone else's sons, using someone else's money in a war in someone else's country.

[wenkeadam]

I am proud to say that I am "one in a million". I too downloaded AND READ Kishore's newest book - or rather compilation of jewels.

[autojournals]

liked the friendly honest and humble tone of the discussion. have downloaded a copy of the book. looking forward to reading it.

[toonpangboon]

By population count, Asia forms almost 60% of world population. Add Africa, Russia and some Latin America countries, that % increases to almost 80% or more. In democracy, number counts and not military might. Cant expect these 80% to bow to 20%. Can you?

[e-magineerAllThings]

I hope the west, particularly the 245 years old America can try to understand the whole human history or world history. Obviously, a lot of Americans only learn American history, not the world history. If they learn world history, they wouldn't have been this arrogant. I read a book about the timeline of world inventions that every continent contributes greatly to inventions, not just a certain continent. I hope the west would read more about the world.

[henrygarciga]

One of the first to speak out against foreign laboratories in Kazakhstan was Amirbek Togusov, former Kazakh Deputy Defense Minister who handed over to Russia materials about the US military’s experiments with deadly viruses in the summer of 2020.

“We are like test monkeys here, and our territory is the Pentagon’s natural proving ground for testing new viruses… The laboratories are taken out of national control and work in secrecy, ” General Amirbek Togusov said at the time. Shortly after that, General Togusov “died suddenly and unexpectedly.”

[kathmccarron]

thank you for your channel - such very interesting guests and intelligent, open dialog

[pax]

*China and India should rise above their petty border issue and begin to cooperate to bring peace and prosperity in this region. Developement can only begin by achieving peace💝🌹*

[muslim]

The day when American imperialism disintegrates, the world will breathe a sigh of relief..

[SC-drwk]

40:53
I think partly it's the democracy tax.
Another reason is China opened it's economy way before India, so first mover advantage.

Even indian constitution maker and one of the great political thinker Dr BR Ambedkar predicted in 1950s the Chinese rise faster that India simply because of the efficiency of fast decision making in one party system of China.

[lisa.e]

We Asians never try to stumble or made Westerner's lives in chaos or hard in 200 -300years of their times. We lived, worked and learned as usual. We cooperated and evolved.

Why Westerners make our lives so hard nowadays especially USA ? The Rise and Rest of tides are norms of lives. So is the rise and rest of a country.

Accept it and go on because life goes on. Nothing will stop for you. So is the time, the sun, moon and tides... Don't be childish .

To be honest, it is very unfair to China. They done nothing wrong.

[flightofthecondor]

With regards economic development, poverty reduction and the raising of living standards and so forth in India and China, the key difference between the two countries is that China is a one-party state which can plan and implement plans consistently long-term, whilst being a Westminster-style parliamentary democracy, the democracy can turn into dysfunctional democracy where all parties are politicking against each other and getting less done for the economy and the interests of the Indian people.

Whilst, Singapore also is a Westminster-style parliamentary democracy, however it is more like China where the PAP has been solidly in power since even before Singapore's independence in 1965.

And since Kishore Mahubani presumably is based in Singapore, just look north of the Causeway to see a fine example of a dysfunctional democracy, which has had three prime minister and three different governments in less than four years - I.E. plenty of democracy and freedom of speech for politicians to go at each other, trip each other up or stab each other in the back but nothing much gets done for the interests of the economy and citizens, and we have no "General Prayut" to save us.

Well, Aristotle did not think much of mass democracy and moreover, western-style democracy is not inherent to Asian traditions and culture, where we went from being under feudalism when colonised, during which time we had no democracy, and were suddenly catapulted into a western-style democracy at independence, without an inherent democratic culture and traditions. This is why politics in much of Asia, is more or less a battle of feudal-style warlords behind a facade of western-style democratic institutions..

You just need to look across the Straits of Johor (Selat Tebrau) to see what I'm talking about.

Your late Lee Kuan Yew probably realised the same thing about western-style parliamentary democracy within Asia too.

[parsvishal]

I have seen Prof Kishore giving very wise advises to the west for many years now. He’s got a bit older now.. Still like to see and listen to him. If I had the authority to issue Noble Prize, I would have given it to Prof Kishore the next day.. Hope these Norwegians figure out who he is and issue a Noble Prize for him

[Lost_Johnny]

I really appreciate listening to Kishore Mahabani but I was a bit surprised by his suggestion that the US was now somehow doing well with COVID, just as the official death count hits a million and over 2 thousand a week are still dying. They invented vaccines fast but that is about it.

[georgeinjapan]

Hopefully the gain balance of countries, including South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and not just one authoritarian country.

[jeromesims]

Translation: "Can u please begin this discussion about Asian dominance by reassuring our American egos that are already severely bruised by the mere suggestion of that development? We are great aren't we?" ... "Oh my pleasure! I understand that if we don't start this conversation right away within the framework of American greatness you might suffer some kind of medical emergency so please breathe deeply and relax as I spend these initial moments singing your favourite lullaby....Americaaa, Americaaa...how great you are....we can only hope to be half as great as you... Okay, feeling better? How's the hypertension? Maybe try caressing your groin area while I kiss your American butt? Nice underwear! The stars and stripes really suit your frame down here. Okay...can i now mention the plutocracy?"

[evergreennj]

Great respect for the honorable Kishore Mahbubani. Would love to see Dr. David Kang be invited for an 1 hour discussion on Korea and Asia.

[Utube]

Tariffs will be paid by the consumers even an ordinary guy like me somehow knew about that. Why that Navaro guy advised Trump on tariffs. Same goes for that pseudo chinese guy who wrote book The Coming Collapse of China who was so happy about it.

[liubang]

The reason why Indian were able to hold high position in top US companies because they were not targeted by the American yet ....

[hsingchen]

What a great and enlightening conversation between two great minds and for all of us to pay attention to.