Cambodia's Curse, a Review

The author is no doubt correct to point out that, among many factors, the lack of the rule of law and uneducated Cambodians and their politicians are the curses to Cambodia’s development. 

Are Cambodians resistant to change? 

There are plethora of research and authors, including expert on Cambodia David Chandler, who opine that Cambodians resist change and want to be left alone. Although Joel Brinkley cites the General Election in 1993 when people chose to change despite threat, intimidation and lie, he agrees that Cambodians are docile. As simple as the theory of expectation says, people choose to change only when they think it is the change for a better future. They believed King Sihanouk would bring a better future for Cambodia that is why they dare choose to change in 1993. Currently, there is no figure who Cambodians can compare to King Sihanouk. Therefore, the battle to win trust from the people is being fought by the ruling party and the opposition party with no decisive force. The author goes too far to say that Cambodians are not ready or courageous to fight for change as can be seen in Myanmar, Sudan etc. He even raises the military standstill in Sudan as a better model. He forgets to mention the uprising against the election result in 1998, among other courageous activists and local NGOs in Cambodia. 

Hope?

Although the author mentions various curses in Cambodia, he also foresees a fast changing future. This seems to contradict with his arguments anyway. The changing demography and technology are moving Cambodia to a better country, forcing Cambodian leaders and politicians to be more accountable in what they say and do as well as keeping Cambodians themselves up to date and more educated. 

Defects in the Book

In the bibliography, you can see only around a dozen of books. Of course no one reads all books in the bibliography, thus one should expect less than that as the author admits to have read some of them on the plane. One should see factual errors, as Sophal Ear has pointed out. 

Is Cambodia on the right direction? The author quotes the two surveys, one by IRI and another by the Asia Foundation, without any second thought. The survey by Asia Foundation, for instance, has two main weak points. First, the sample is only 1,000. This sample is sufficient if they interview people in Phnom Penh to understand their view, but it is too small for a countrywide opinion poll. Second, the questions are vague (I am not sure about its translation into Khmer, as I could not find it).  I am curious how uneducated Cambodians perceive this question On the Right Tract… Whatever the result (results of 2003 and 2014 surveys are opposite), one must use it with care. 

Rather than analyzing a race, Cambodians, I believe one should do so treating them as a group of people to reduce biasness. Americans would not love freedom and democracy without institutions set up by the UK. The ideas of John Locke did not come up by dreams but by studies. There are various factors that may change a country (See Why Nations Fail, for instance). Although the author tries to explain factors that make Cambodians lazy, for example, I believe he should try harder to look at it from economic and political science perspectives instead of racial perspective as some French did before and during the Colonial periods. 

Full title: Cambodia's Curse: The Modern History of a Troubled Land

Publisher:  PublicAffairs (September 4, 2012)

Author: Joel Brinkley 

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Hun Sen's Cambodia: review

The author discusses issues in this book in his journalistic professionalism, not in political or economic models. In most parts, he interviewed relevant persons, told stories and most importantly stuck to main points. Through his extensive readings on Cambodia, living and working in Cambodia, he made the book the best one on contemporary Cambodia and its elites. If you must read one book on Cambodia, I suggest this one.

There are two main points I like the most about this book. First, its authority. To summarize core ideas effectively, one needs to read most, if not all, of the relevant previous works and if possible has personal touch on the stories. As a journalist for the Phnom Penh Post, he has just both. Histories of Cambodia before, during and after the Khmer Empire who built Angkor temple, Cambodia's golden age in the 1960s, the Khmer Rouge and the contemporary Cambodia are well documented. His descriptions of contemporary Cambodia's culture, society, population and politics are comprehensive.

Second, its neutrality. Rather that charging leaders who seemingly made mistakes, sometimes horrible ones, he looks at them from all possible angles. Pol Pot was not born evil. Prime Minister Hun Sen was also reported with neutrality, so were his political opponents such as Sam Rainsy.

Players in Cambodia 

1.       Hun Sen

Many Western journalists as well as some U.S Congressmen would just say he is a communist and that’s all. Sebastian gives fair analysis on him: his sacrifice to volunteer to join maquis of Prince Sihanouk against American occupation, his smartness in battle and politics, his leadership among his colleagues and in the end his insufficient ability to lead Cambodia afterward.

PM Hun Sen is said to have hold no strict political belief. He does not believe in communism nor does he believe in democracy. He sees politics as a zero-sum game, thus tries to out-maneuver his political opponents and reduce the number to zero if possible.  Similarly, he sees the international community not as a body to promote democracy, as it did not when it supported to Pol Pot clangs, but a political player promoting their own interests. 

2.       International Community

After Angkor Era, international community has been the main actors to decide Cambodia’s fate. Which king could rule the country was highly decided by its neighbors Vietnam and Thailand until the French came. And then, France, the U.S and China played major roles in shaping Cambodia’s future from the Independence in the 1953, Khmer Republic, and Khmer Rouge until and after the Paris Peace Agreement. Aid, political recognition and wages have been critical to Cambodia after the 1990s. However, recently, international community been comparatively weak, if not useless. Sebastian cites luxuries enjoyed by a significant number of NGOs, thus their reluctance to change the status quo.

“If change comes to Cambodia it will come not from above—from a shape- shifting ‘international community’—but from below, from the Cambodian people themselves.” P. 266 

3.       Sam Rainsy

The author raises his crusades for democracy and anti-corruption in Cambodia as well as the contradiction arisen with his racial discrimination against Vietnamese, which Sam Rainsy denies.  

4.    Cambodian People

Cambodia at this stage, political scientists would say, lies at where the rising of middle class changes the equation of elite politics. Politics in Cambodia had been solely played by elites until Cambodians were given the chance to vote in a secret ballot. This is added by the rise of technology especially Facebook. In addition, the young population, the first-time votes, gives supports to Sam Rainsy as he expected:

“In a typical family, you have the grandfather, who votes for Funcinpec; you have the father, who votes for the CPP; and you have the children, who when they reach voting age will vote for the SRP . . . It will take less time than one might imagine now, because of the progress of technology, information, communication, and education.” P. 123

The Conundrums

Sebastian opines that if change comes, it would have to come from Cambodians themselves. In recent 2013 ballot, Cambodians did express their strong wills to change the status quo, but they do not know how. They do not even know how to drive on the streets. They may kill someone out of anger, so will a teacher punish their students according his will. Will Cambodian people be able to make politicians do the right things if they themselves do not know what the right things are?

Are opposition party main actors especially Sam Rainsy for democratic rule of law, free market or are they simply randomly choosing policies out of contempt, compassion or superficial studies of examples in other countries like France and the U.S? Do they dislike communism out of principles or out of examples?

Is CPP against democracy? It is too early to judge. If the international community firmly believe in democracy, they should have been promoting democracy instead of realpolitik. If the teacher does not even know the answer, how could he set the exam and judge the student?

China may be seen as pro-Communism. But if a democracy brings it benefits, it would not be in a position to block democracy in Cambodia. The U.S may be seen as pro-democracy but it is not. The same as above.  Cambodia would be better off if China and the West deal with it rules instead of random policy. For example, promoting ballot and the rule of law instead of supporting this or that party. Cambodian politicians now seem to see that they should work together despite their previous fatal fights and/or fierce verbal attacks. I am optimistic that Cambodia is starting to move on a sustainable development path now.

Full title: HUN SEN’S CAMBODIA

Author: SEBASTIAN STRANGIO

Publisher: YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS  (November 25, 2014)
My rating: 5/5

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Free to Choose

Prof. Mankiw of Harvard has written two worldly popular textbooks in economics: Principles of Economics and Macroeconomics. There are many universities and professors who use his textbooks in classrooms. In my university, Kobe University, his textbooks are popular for undergraduate and graduate levels. I enormously like his books, and that is where I got to know the book Free to Choose. 

 

In his note on his further reading at the end of the Principles, Mankiw put it as something like How market economy improves society. This description of him did not catch my attention that much. However, the title Free to Choose did catch my attention. What does it mean by free, and choose what?

Smart people who make themselves easily understandable are admirable. Milton Friedman, a Nobel Laureate in economics science, is also a brilliant writer. This book is fun to read, coherent and stick to the point. His main idea is simple: as long as you are free to choose, the society is prosperous and the economy keeps growing. This principle is loud and clear. All examples throughout this book follow this principle except one (see Conundrum below). 

His ideas in the book largely were built upon those of Adam Smith and Bastiat. To put it in two simple sentences: voluntary cooperation between individuals in the society is the main engine of prosperity and justice. Government role in the society is to facilitate those voluntary cooperation. Did I just say Justice? Friedman is in the school of thought that postulate that voluntary cooperation is a just action. (For more on justice, see Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do, by Michael Sandel, not yet reviewed here).

The most important parts of this book, to me, are the prefaces and the first chapter The Power of Market. The power of market is exemplified by that fact that people from East Germany risked their lives crossing the Berlin Wall to find opportunities, to where they can freely choose and make the decisions they think are right and not the decisions imposed on them by people in the government in the name of love. 

The most eye-opening examples the authors used that make readers (including Nobel Laureate Gary Becker) see how relevant economics in the society is choice in education: What’s Wrong with Our Schools? Have you ever asked who should run a school? Is it not ubiquitous that schools are run by the government? People also take for granted that good schools are run by government, and to be a prestigious schools, they have to be run by a government. Cambodians would look at examples of prestigious universities in Singapore, for instance the National University of Singapore. People in Japan are also in a similar situation where they see national universities such as The University of Tokyo, Osaka University etc. as the prime examples of superiority of state-run universities over private-run ones such Waseda University and Keio University. If you think so, I challenge you to read this book. If you are an educational reformer who have no specific idea in mind yet, this book is best for you as well. Friedman popularized the concept of school choice, or voucher school.  

Because the authors explained how economy works and people cooperate in societies in plain language, various Third World leaders were thankful to the book, for instance, Estonian Prime Minister Mart Laar.

The Conundrum

There are two main opponents of Keynes: Milton Friedman and F.A Hayek. As a student, however, Friedman was a Keynesian. Every one tended to be one in his time. As a matter of fact, he later won the Nobel Prize in Economic Science by disproving Keynesian fiscal policy. Keynes postulated that consumers consider their current income before making decision to spend. Friedman, in contrast, theoretically and empirically proved that people make decisions on how much to spend basing on their expected long-term income (Permanent Income Hypothesis). Thus, according to Friedman, a tax cut to increase spending is ineffective. 

Another debate is with regard to monetary policy. Instead of discretionary monetary policy, he favored rule-based policy. The reason is the market is stronger that government and so complicated that government can manipulate it with its monetary tool. Thus, supplying money basing on expected economic growth is the safest measure. For example, if the economy is expected to grow 2 % next year, the central should just supply money 2% more, not less to impede growth, not more to induce inflation.

One point that people tend to misunderstand Friedman is with the regard to the abolition of the Fed. Milton Friedman was for the abolition of the Fed. He agreed with Hayek that market can supply money more effectively and efficiently to meet their own needs of money than the government can. Because the possibility of the abolition of the Fed was too slim, he postulated the above-mentioned Monetarism. This is where Friedman did not focus on freedom to choose. Is freedom to choose who to supply your notes good for the society? 

My Intervention

There are many providers of phone service around you. Why do you think we need many providers? Why not ask government to keep only one? Competition is favorable to the economy, you may say. Decentralized management, i.e. two companies managing it instead of one big company, is more efficient, you continue. You name it. So why government allows only one money supplier, namely itself? 

Economists divide functions of money into three: unit of account- what you use to count how much a goods is, store of value- for what you save, and medium of exchange- you can use money instead of changing a book for a tire of a bike. These functions make money special that require central control. I agree with this description (cause I am the one who wrote it here!). However, it is not enough to restrict the supply to only government. No king wants an opposition party!!!

Full title: Free to Choose: A Personal Statement Paperback – November 26, 1990

Authors:  Milton Friedman (1912-2006) , Rose Friedman(1910-2009)

Publisher: Mariner Books; LATER PRINTING edition (November 26, 1990)
My rating: 5/5
This book is complimented by another book of Friedman: Capitalism and Freedom.

See also: 
PBS TV series: Free to Choose (1980) and Free to Choose TV (www.freetochoose.tv/)

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Cambodia promotes motorcycle helmets to halt rise of traffic deaths

In the end of 1990s to 2000s, the largest social ill in Cambodia was the spread of HIV/AID. Recently this is no longer the issue. Most people now understand about the disease and how to prevent it. However, currently the largest social ill is death toll from traffic accidents. Statistics aside, I can see traffic accident one every day in average on my way of commutation from and to workplace. The article is right in that people do not respect laws, including traffic law in Cambodia. 

Why they do not respect laws? Take me as an example in traffic law. At a traffic law, I was not sure if the red light there meant I could not turn right. I did turn right and was stopped by a policeman right a way. He stopped me according to the law but I could pay my way out. That demeans the meaning of law! This is a prime example of laws in Cambodia. Therefore, people do not have the sense of respecting laws or see the need of it. 

What is the main problem here? Requiring drivers to wear a helmet may reduce death tolls but I will not in any way reduce traffic accidents. I find it close to useless. The only solution is requiring a license, meaning people have to know how to drive on the street. From my experience, 99.99 % of Cambodians do not know how to drive on the street. They do not give signals before they turn; When they have to turn, they do not know that those who are going straight in front of them have the priority. 

When they do not even know what the right thing to do, how could they try to protect themselves? 

See the PBS News...

Cambodia promotes motorcycle helmets to halt rise of traffic deaths

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Ream Beach and Investment

The beach is beautiful, the water is crystal clear and shallow and is surrounded by trees and mountains nearby. The area is not much inhabited. It is on the left hand side on the way from Koh Kong to Sihanoukville near the airport. One defect is that it lies against sun light. It would be too glittering if the sun shines and you want to bathe (not sunbathe) there.

It waits for rich investors to find out the location, its beauty and other potential. Currently, only dozens of local sellers make their on quite traditional commerce: selling food for tourists. Along with the fact that the new airport is being built close by, local and international investors may start to consider their business here in a short time to come.


Unlike in Siem Reap, however, market size of the Western part of Cambodia is small. In Siem Reap, you can see tourists from various countries in the world. In Western Cambodia, mostly Americans or Europeans. In Sihanoukville, in addition, business gains profits only during peak seasons of tourism.

Other costs include electricity, water and security. These are main constraints in Cambodia, not limited to Western part. Some hotels need to supply their own water and electricity. In terms of rule of law, it is quite weak there. (see for example http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/polonsky-bugbear-arrested-sihanoukville)

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Cha Ret Khmer (Khmer Characteristics)

Summary

It is a rather well-known book by a nationalistic politician name Bun Chan Mol (ប៊ុណ្ណ ចន្ទម៉ុល) who spent his life serving Cambodia under many regimes and at the same time observed the atrocity of committed by Cambodians, the Khmer race, under those many regimes. He witnessed cruel tortures, lawless killings, social ills, and observed many incorrigible deeds that leaders and the led made during his life. Thus, in his conclusion, he said the Khmer race are brutal and violent. The future of Cambodia is doomed and his hope for a better Cambodia is dim. 

Analysis

Social scientists would immediately disagree with the author. There is no such as thing as racial characteristics. No American were born to love freedom. America would not be born without the ideas of how to build a country disseminated from Britain, and Britain from earlier uncountable heroes/heroines and countries from Roman Empire, Greece and the Enlightenment. You name it.

In this sense, my rating for it is 3/5.

Those who read this book should not feel pessimistic about the Khmer race and/or the future of Cambodia even if they see its dooming situation today, but should instead continue reading other books such as Why Nations Fail, From Dictatorship to Democracy and Free to Choose, to begin with.

The Conundrum

Did I say there is no such thing as racial characteristics? What you eat determine your behaviors and genes as well. Some food, for example, can make you particularly sluggish. So would Sushi makes Japanese race particularly something? Would this change the pyramid of Maslow's human needs?

Final Say

Putting his accomplishment, sacrifice and knowledge aside, he deserved our respect as a Cambodian patriot. One should be reminded as well that being a patriot is not enough, instead far from enough. The knowledge, how to build the country, how to administer a government, how to infiltrate the concept of citizenship among our people etc. are more important.

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Why Nations Fail

You may wonder why Cambodia, among other poor countries, fail to develop. Why we are poor and other are rich? You have answers, of course. You may point to the fact that we had wars, thus no human capital i.e. no knowledgeable persons who know how to develop the country. Some would point to the fact that we are born lazy, i.e. our culture does not induce hard working like Vietnamese culture or Japanese culture. Of course, very few would point to the fact that Cambodia does not have natural resource as we have too many including the sea. So what make us poor? Some would argue that we do not have a good leader. How to have a good leader then? Can another good leaders come and continue to be good after a good leader is dead of old age? In this book, Daron Acemoglu & James Robinson deal comprehensively with these theories. 

Summary

A country fails to grow not because it does not have natural resources. Case study, Japan. 

A country fails to develop not because of culture. Case study South Korea versus North Korea. 

A country does not grow not because of the lack of human capital. Knowledge can be bought these days. Case study, Japan and other countries (Cambodia as well before the France took over the country) bought Western technology and knowledge and even fought with the West like Japan did against Russia. 

A country fails because it does not have an inclusive institution. Rather, it has extractive institution. That is it has a system where growth, or wealth,  is extracted to a group of people from another group of people. A typical example is when a country has a government which taxes their citizens (of course every government lives by money from tax) and provide no or little service in return. The government does not protect the property rights of its citizens, for instance. 

Conundrums

Theories in this book are mostly in direct contrast to those in The Wealth and Poverty of Nations. If you want to dig deeper into this debate, the latter is a good start. In economics, Acemoglu along with other prominent economists such as Douglas North are categorized as institutional economists. They tend to favor institutions as a cause of growths.

In this book, by emphasizing that institutions, i.e. the systems, make a country rich or poor, the authors do know shed lights on how those systems can be made. If you were the United States who imposed system on Japan after WWII, this book is best for you, except you cannot be one. This book is also best for policy makers of aid organizations such as Jica, USAID, AusAid etc. For politicians, especially opposition politicians in a dictatorship countries this book only brings hopelessness. I suggest another book From Dictatorship to Democracy.

I hope you would read the book, republished in 2012, after this review. My rating is 5/5.

Authors: Daron Acemoglu, James Robinson.
Publisher: Crown Business; 1 edition (March 20, 2012)

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Strongman, The Extraordinary Life of Hun Sen

But rather than making it a substantive biography, the authors turned the work into a lengthy praise of the man, which ends up weakening the credibility of the work.

The Cambodia Daily.

True! And this book does not deserve my lengthy review. 

This book is nothing short of autobiography, as it is just written by someone else. Basically the authors just ask Prime Minister Hun Sen what happened, listened and wrote accordingly. In their original edition, they included both verified and unverified information about PM Hun Sen.  In this new edition, the authors only added some more proofs to previous edition. 

What it lacks the most is the connection between what PM says and what can be seen and heard about him in Cambodia. The books quotes intensively speeches of PM in various occasions. The authors also imply the PM's love and respect for King Sihanouk that the PM even would abdicate his premiership in favor of the King if possible. In addition, I cannot find useful verification on some facts. What may shock readers, for instance, is the fact that PM Hun Sen says he does not want any of his children involved in politics at any cost. You judge by yourself. Perhaps, this is the prime example of the significance of the whole book.

If you are already a fan of PM Hun Sen, this is best for you. If you are not, this book is instead a good book for you to find good points about him and what he likes to praise about himself. If you would like to find out the truth or want to read an academic book about PM Hun Sen, this is totally not the right book. My rating for this book, nonetheless, is 2/5.

Authors: Harish Mehta, Julie Mehta.
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Editions (May 15, 2013)

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