By whatever name, a new consumer class is emerging in Asia that could be the largest, most economically and politically influential group on the planet. Many observers, especially in the West, see this as a vanguard bringing down the generals, juntas and feudal oligarchs of old and ushering in a new era of liberalism and democracy. The reality is not quite so simple. In individual essays, various scholars examine the political and economic impact of the rising middle-class in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
Some observations seem highly questionable.
Still, this is a valuable portrait of the forces driving the new Asia. This book shows how the overseas Chinese developed from humble beginnings into a modern Hanseatic League, the loose confederation of merchants who dominated northern Europe during the Middle Ages. Included are sketches of the major tycoons, such as Li Ka Shing of Hong Kong, Chin Sophonpanich of Thailand and Liem Sioe Liong of Indonesia, with useful charts explaining the complex web of business connections. The library of Greater China seems to be expanding faster than the Chinese economy. This is one of the better additions, not so much because its analysis of Chinese business practices is particularly original, but because it covers the essentials clearly and concisely.