Why I love Dubai

[Stranger]

Mark my words. Dubai today is what New York and Chicago were in the 19th century. You will not believe what they achieve.

Our Ambitions for the Middle EastBy MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM

January 12, 2008; Page A9

During President Bush’s visit to Dubai on Monday, he will find a big city like no other that has risen from the Arabian desert. The joke making the rounds here is that the crane should be designated as Dubai’s national bird, so extensive is the engineering activity. We also plan to keep on investing in markets and businesses abroad, including in our own neighborhood, where economic development has long been uneven.

Our plans do not flow from mere ambition; they are a necessity. Consider that only 3% of our revenue is from exports of diminishing crude-oil reserves; 30% is from tourism, and there’s increasing revenue from manufacturing and other sectors such as hospitality, technology and transportation.

But to term our emirate “Dubai Inc.,” as some do, suggests that commerce, more than anything else, is our leitmotif. It is true, of course, that Dubai has been a trading port and a commercial hub for several centuries. But the ethos of Dubai was, and is, all about building bridges to the outside world; it was, and is, about creating connections with different cultures.

As a child, I learned how important it was to establish an enabling economy where the government provided incentives and an ethics-based regulatory environment, but left it to the inventiveness and energy of the private sector to expedite economic growth.

I learned my capitalism in the bazaars and boardwalks of Dubai. And perhaps the fundamental question that I learned to always ask was: How can we serve as agents of positive change? That’s why I prefer to call Dubai “Catalyst Inc.”

We live in a tough neighborhood. We live in a country that has been surrounded by difficult issues for several decades – the Iraq-Iran war, the invasion of Kuwait, the current war in Iraq. Despite all that, Dubai has learned how to reinvent itself and cope.

We believe that helping to build a strong regional economy is our best opportunity for lasting social stability in the Middle East. That’s why, for instance, we strongly support the new Gulf Common Market, which was launched on Jan. 1 and which will eventually lead to more regional economic integration, enhanced intra-Gulf trade, and a common currency for the six countries that form the Gulf Cooperation Council – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

There are more initiatives underway, many of which are aimed at ensuring prompt payment of salaries, and improvements in working conditions for unskilled foreign workers. While capitalism doesn’t always create egalitarian societies, I like to think that in Dubai we are making the effort to cast the net wide when it comes to sharing prosperity.

I also like to think that we in Dubai also learn from our mistakes. We have had some object lessons. The Dubai Ports episode in the U.S. last year was one.

We analyzed our experiences, and we now approach our international investments in a much more holistic manner. We take the time to analyze the social, political and economic landscape, identify the stakeholders, and then carefully prepare the way by ensuring that the concerns of all parties are properly addressed. When disputes occur, we generally find a way to work through them.

When there was resistance to our investment in some European bourses, we listened carefully to various arguments and then successfully negotiated our way through the situation. As with CEOs in corporate boardrooms, leaders of sovereign nations need to act collaboratively in order to engender progress.

It doesn’t take the visit of a capitalism-boosting American president for this region to freshly understand that it needs to accelerate economic progress.

When you look at the region, there are parts that are behind compared to the rest of the world – behind when it comes to the economy, business and social development. We would like these less-developed parts of the region to be like Europe, Japan, Singapore and the rest of the industrialized world.

Nearly 1.5 billion people live in our neighborhood, and more than 50% of them are under the age of 25. In the Arab world alone, some 80 million young people – out of a total population of 300 million – are seeking jobs. I look at these young people as extraordinary resources for nation-building. If we can take our vision beyond Dubai, I think we can save a lot of young people from humiliating unemployment, from becoming extremists.

Education and entrepreneurship are the twin underpinnings for building a safer world. With these two institutions, we’ll have fewer angry young people, fewer frustrated youths ready to embrace radicalism because they have nowhere else to turn.

I am often asked, “What does Dubai really want?” Well, here’s my answer: What we want is the continuation of a journey that began with my forebears. I truly believe that human beings have a tremendous capability of changing and improving their lot. Change and modernization are inevitable in this age of galloping globalization. But we in the Middle East need to continually and carefully calibrate that change in the public interest.

I am also often asked, “What are Dubai’s political ambitions?” Well, here’s my answer: We don’t have political ambitions. We don’t want to be a superpower or any other kind of political power. The whole region is over-politicized as it is. We don’t see politics as our thing, we don’t want it, we don’t think this is the right thing to do.

We are engaged in a different type of war that’s really worth fighting – fighting to alleviate poverty, generating better education, creating economic opportunity for people, and teaching people everywhere how to be entrepreneurs, to believe in themselves.

Humility and tolerance run deep in the Maktoum family and are very important in trying to serve one’s people. I am anchored in that tradition, which is why my favorite activity is listening.

I always ask: How can I help? What can I do for people? How can I improve people’s lives? That’s part of my value system. It’s too late for me to change that system, but it isn’t too early for me to say to the world that the Dubai narrative is all about changing people’s lives for the better through smart capitalism, willpower and positive energy.

Sheikh Mohammed completed two years as ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, and vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, earlier this week. His memoir will be published later this year.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120010558127985667.html

[Halevy]

Quote:

“Dubai today is what New York and Chicago were in the 19th century.”

===================================================

Unfortunately, there are some small differences between present Dubai and NY, Chicago or other US cities - small but fundamental: FREEDOM AND TOLERANCE

Just for clarification: I’ve recently learned that temples for all possible religions and beliefs are to be found in Dubai, except for - guess what?? Synagogues!!

In Dubai Wonderland, it is forbidden to build Synagogues, to express the belief in the Jewish faith and, by the way, any person declaring to possess Jewish faith is forbidden to enter this lovely place. I myself, for instance, wouldn’t be allowed to stay at the well-known Six-Star hotel with my wife and three kids (if I only could save my full earnings during some years to pay for a week holiday there).

In contrast, NY and the USA in general have generoulsy received the Jewish immigration and benefited therefrom throughout their history, being this group one of many that lived in harmony for centuries and helped turn the USA to be one of the greatest places on Earth to live in (notwithstanding the growing efforts from various groups to impair this condition).

In summary, from the Libertarian viewpoint, there are still essential issues on “humility and tolerance” [sic] to be learned.

Sad but true.

With kindest regards to all freedom lovers,

R.H.

Mechanical Engineer

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

[Byzantine]

Neither humility nor tolerance are a sine qua non of a libertarian society.

On second thought, perhaps humility in recognition of human fallibility.

In my view, “tolerance” destroys libertarian social order. In the secularized, national security state, people who would be hung from the nearest tree in a libertarian society walk the streets unhindered.

[Harksaw]

I’ve heard you need a government license, approved by your employer, to drink alcohol in Dubai. Your income determines how much you are allowed to buy. (For residents, anyway).

You must get your company’s approval to buy land, have a telephone, or get sattelite TV.

And it’s illegal to buy porn, but prostitutes are everywhere.

The government censors the Internet.

[Stranger]

@Harksaw

I’ve heard you need a government license, approved by your employer, to drink alcohol in Dubai. Your income determines how much you are allowed to buy. (For residents, anyway).

You must get your company’s approval to buy land, have a telephone, or get sattelite TV.

And it’s illegal to buy porn, but prostitutes are everywhere.

The government censors the Internet.

None of which can stop the growth of Dubai into a world capital.

[Harksaw]

I think a censored internet and non-freedom to buy property would hamper growth.

[Stranger]

It certainly hasn’t done much to China’s economy.

Plus we don’t even know if it’s true. “I’ve heard that”?

[Halevy]

IMO, some reasons why humility and tolerance are essential for the construction of a libertarian society:

1. It requires indeed a great dosis of humility to recognize that “freedom” (which is one of the pillars of libertarianism, if I didn’t miss the point) implies in accepting that one’s personal views may not be necessarily superior to others’ views - and thus discouraging every individual from trying to impose them on others through coercion, and

2. “Tolerance” within a libertarian society means - among other concepts - that each individual should accept that his heighbor may have a different faith, and exercise it freely, as long as the referred practice does not interfere in any way with his personal freedom and/ or property. That implies, as aconsequence, that temples for each and every faith could be built on a libertarian land - subject to the applicable contractual arrangements voluntarily held between the involved communities.

Once more, we see the theoretical conflict arising between thouse who advocate the “pure” libertarianism as a political/ economical system, not linked to any other disciplines or areas of thought, and others who would rather regard it as a philosophical basis to be merged with ethical (therefore subjective) principles which would help construct a smooth-operating human environment.

Conclusion: it’s quite possible that Dubai will grow to be a world capital in regards to economic prosperity, however lacking a bit humanity, which ultimately is one of the main goals of those who embrace libertarian thinking.

[Solreyus]

@Stranger

None of which can stop the growth of Dubai into a world capital.

Yes, the growth of a new capital with few liberties.

You cannot view society from a perspective of just economic-growth. Personal freedoms are very important. The fact that a law exists against certain minorities is the epitome of anti-libertarianism, since everyone is equal before the law in a libertarian system.

At least half of what he said I can confirm to be true, because this country is greatly influenced by Sharia law, which is extremely prohibitive to personal freedom. Indeed there is none to those that do not adhere to the muslim faith, or happen to be of the wrong gender, or sexual orientation, or wear the wrong clothes…

Just because Dubai has recognized that capitalism has the greatest potential for growth, only goes to show their understanding of economics. The fact that political and civic freedoms are non-existant show that Dubai would be a terrible place to live in if you happen to be part of a minority.

Since Libertarianism is a system of society and government, you must be careful not to divorce the political aspects, or to minimize their importance when praising a growing economy, simply because they have low taxes and ambitious entrepreneurs.

[Stranger]

The world is full of tolerant social-democracies where minorities and freaks are protected by the state. Try to make something of yourself and you’ll be punished for it, on the other hand.

In Dubai you can aspire to become something more than what you are. The government is officially praising enterprise in young people. Do you have any idea how rare this is in today’s world? Dubai may be a terrible place to be in if you are a homosexual jew who enjoys pornography, but for the majority of people, for whom the entire world is a terrible place to live in, it is a new hope.

[Halevy]

“The world is full of tolerant social-democracies where minorities and freaks are protected by the state. Try to make something of yourself and you’ll be punished for it, on the other hand.”

Yes, I fully agree with your thought, but this does not justify to discriminate any individual within a libertarian environment.

"Dubai may be a terrible place to be in if you are a homosexual jew who enjoys pornography, but for the majority of people, for whom the entire world is a terrible place to live in, it is a new hope. "

Even though I personally fit into only one of the categories above, namely I’m Jewish, libertarian thought simply does not admit any restriction to personal freedom - unless it threatens other individuals’ freedom - and I find it 100% unacceptable to enforce segregation of any kind (even for those groups that think different from myself, for that matter) except if voluntarily agreed between the involved groups or parts.

No matter from which angle you turn this matter upside down: libertarianism just doesn’t “fit” with restrictions to personal freedom. If you do think so, I respect your viewpoint, but please don’t try to adjust the libertarian philosopy to your own specific beliefs.

[Stranger]

Where did I critique libertarian philosophy? All I’ve said was that Dubai was one of the best examples of freedom, especially in the middle east.

[Solreyus]

@Stranger

Where did I critique libertarian philosophy? All I’ve said was that Dubai was one of the best examples of freedom, especially in the middle east.

You did it just now! You call Dubai a great example of freedom, and then say that you’re not critiquing Libertarian philosophy. That’s like spitting in the face of Libertarianism! How can you say that any country is a beacon and example of freedom if they are against Jews, homosexuals, and people who drink alcohol or watch porn. Of course, it’s not just those, it’s other minorities too.

But even if it were just one minority, no matter how minuscule, the idea that they would have a double standard would obliterate any possibility of freedom. It doesn’t matter how much they encourage one religion to participate in the economy, if at the same time they deny another religion’s existance within the country!

This is absolutely insane from any Libertarian perspective. You cannot maintain double standards, and no matter how good the standards are for one group, without the same rights for all other groups, the country is about as free as Nazi Germany. By your reasoning, Nazi Germany, which granted fairly good rights to the majority and had a capitalist economy, could be seen as abeacon of freedom, yet you know this is absurd. If your reasoning can easily be stretched to this conclusion then there must be something wrong with your argument. Either you’re arguing against Libertarianism, or you simply don’t understand the guiding principles.

I’m saying this again, any country that maintains double standards and hypocrisy of ANY SORT, cannot classify as Libertarian or “free”. No matter what the benefits to a majority, if even one person suffers at the expense of some sort of “Greater good” for the majority, then this is simple collectivism.

I think you need to review the basis of Individualism versus Collectivism and their guiding principles.

[SMacaskill]

So what we’re really doing is waiting for a Libertarian, or group of Libertarians to purchase a large amount land, such as an island, and create a deregulated, free trade zone for others who wish to live there.

[Stranger]

@Fred Furash

This is absolutely insane from any Libertarian perspective. You cannot maintain double standards, and no matter how good the standards are for one group, without the same rights for all other groups, the country is about as free as Nazi Germany. By your reasoning, Nazi Germany, which granted fairly good rights to the majority and had a capitalist economy, could be seen as abeacon of freedom, yet you know this is absurd.

If Nazi Germany was surrounded by totalitarian communist regimes everywhere else in the world, then yes, I would have to say that, and it would be true.

[Solreyus]

@SMacaskill

So what we’re really doing is waiting for a Libertarian, or group of Libertarians to purchase a large amount land, such as an island, and create a deregulated, free trade zone for others who wish to live there.

I wish it were this simply. Unfortunately, knowing how the US, the UN, NATO, EU, CFR, and others work, they’ll probably put on an embargo of some sort, or simply won’t recognize it as a country. This would make trade very hard, especially since organisations like the WTO seem to have a supra-national influence on these things. The status quo is big government, and they will do anything to stop an experiment on real libertarianism from succeeding. I’m sure they’ll find a reason too, they’ve been making up lies about all sorts of threats (terrorism in iraq was non-existant, global warming as a human cause is more and more disputed) in the name of taking away our freedom for a “greater good”.

I did hear though that some islands were being sold which would grant the owner sovereignty so that he could create an off-shore tax zone. Maybe if someone has a lot of money to spend and doesn’t mind running a risk.

[JimS]

While I do sincerely wish all the best for the entrepreneurs of Dubai, there is a major potential problem: the geopolitical proximity threat. If war breaks out in the Persian Gulf, no investor or tourist would fly to Dubai. It reminds me of Beirut before their civil war broke out in the 70’s. Is there an American University in Dubai yet? Beirut had one, along with skysrapers that later were used as machinegun posts. When capital supply is tight and middleast is unstable, even Tel Aviv market drops like a rock despite that Israelis having the most powerful military in the region . . . In contrast, what are the chances that Dubai would be able to defend its wealth and those of its investors in a turmoil?

[Byzantine]

“Yes, I fully agree with your thought, but this does not justify to discriminate any individual within a libertarian environment.”

Actually, the ability to discriminate is the very essence of property rights. That’s why the state outlaws discrimination.

[Stranger]

@JimS

While I do sincerely wish all the best for the entrepreneurs of Dubai, there is a major potential problem: the geopolitical proximity threat. If war breaks out in the Persian Gulf, no investor or tourist would fly to Dubai. It reminds me of Beirut before their civil war broke out in the 70’s. Is there an American University in Dubai yet? Beirut had one, along with skysrapers that later were used as machinegun posts. When capital supply is tight and middleast is unstable, even Tel Aviv market drops like a rock despite that Israelis having the most powerful military in the region . . . In contrast, what are the chances that Dubai would be able to defend its wealth and those of its investors in a turmoil?

Dubai may well play the role Switzerland did in WWII: too expensive to invade and not worth the loss of a neutral ground. In that case it could profit immensely from the flood of skilled refugees. (It has already done so with Iraqi war refugees to a certain extent.)

There is an American University in Dubai.

[Halevy]

@Byzantine

Actually, the ability to discriminate is the very essence of property rights. That’s why the state outlaws discrimination.

I understand that you may prevent me from trespassing your private property, if you wish, but - is a State entitled to block its borders to people belonging to group “X” ?

Whose property is Dubai?

Is it a private property or a State?

Does it belong to the the Royal Family or to People of Dubai?

Does the Royal Family of Dubai represent the will of the “free” Dubai inhabitants?

Are you sure Dubai citizens agree to block the entrance of free individuals which could bring good business oppportunities and perform mutually beneficial exchange?

Please note that some concepts that fully apply to the interaction between individuals do not apply to the State, which b.t.w. is “our Enemy” for 99% of the readers and contributors of this Forum.

Just for clarification, I’m not willing to “prove” I’m right or whatever, just trying to bring to the surface the essential inconsistence arising from a State intending to operate based on economic freedom and simultaneously applying severe restrictions to free speech, religious belief, political disagreement and many other issues already exposed.

Let’s just keep Dubai as an interesting example for a free market approach and less government intervention in economic matters, but far from setting this country as a “new standard” for Freedom, which positively is not the case, for all reasons previously discussed by myself and other contributors to this thread.