The Dubai Sheikh Is A Business School Case Study

It is interesting that 10 days ago I could not have recognized his picture. And now I am digging up details on him.

Dubai has to be compared to Singapore. It is to the Sheikh's disadvantage that he was born royal. That might make people give him less credit than he deserves. But Dubai has seen unprecedented transformation while he has been actively leading. Success was not guaranteed. The results are visible and measurable.

Oil money is not enough explanation. Venezuela also had it. Many countries in Africa have been mineral-rich. But we have not seen the transformation.

I am just beginning to read up on it. I will have more to say as I read more.

What has already happened is interesting enough. But to me what is of greater interest is what is possible next. I look at all of Dubai and I see a helipad, figuratively speaking. The infrastructure has been built. But now the city could truly take off.

The Economist's Coverage Of Modi Anniversary: Poor

English: 1937 Deng Xiaoping in NRA uniform. 1937年，任八路军总部政治部副主任的邓小平。 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bill Clinton ended up giving America the longest peacetime economic expansion in history. Were people able to see that coming in year 1? In year 2? In year 3? No. Some things take time.

Frankly, part of The Economist's coverage is patronizing. Perhaps the London newspaper has a colonial hangover.

Look, I was not even rooting for Modi in the 2014 election, and you can check this blog's archives. Although I did not blame him for the 2002 riots (got to respect the Supreme Court) and I liked his work as Gujrat Chief Minister a lot. I came to him late. But I have come to him strong.

This guy is Deng Xiaoping. Manmohan Singh started economic reforms in India. But he did not have the political skills or stature that Modi has.

This guy's hero is Lee Kuan Yew, and for good reason.

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Singapore

Source

Modi: The Politician I Read Most About

Deng Xiaoping (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore, being escorted by United States Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld through an honour cordon and into the Pentagon. They met to discuss bilateral security issues including the war on terrorism: see DefenseLINK news photos. US Department of Defense (). Retrieved on . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Narendra Modi has become the politician I read most about these days. Deep inside it is my suspicion that he might be India's Lee Kuan Yew, that he might be India's Deng Xiaoping. I need Modi to give India double digit growth rates, year in, year out, no dips, no recessions. Double digit is not eight per cent, not nine per cent. Double digit is 10% or more.

Culturally speaking I am an Indian. I am an Indian who grew up in Nepal. And I want Modi to succeed. I like his laser focus on the economy. I like his no nonsense attitude of management. I like his decisiveness.

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