Asian Godfathers: Money and Power in Hong Kong and South East Asia. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Asian Godfathers: Money and Power in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia at Amazon.com. Asian Godfathers is a riveting and illuminating book that lifts the curtain on a world of staggering secrecy and hypocrisy, and reveals—for the first time—who the leaders of one of the planet’s most important and ... Goodreads Asian Godfathers 3. A complex mythology surrounds them, one which inf. I recommend this book, as your view will change. Studwell notes that Hong Kong and Singapore are not "free" economies, despite Western interpretation. It must have cost Joe Studwell a good deal of work to integrate his knowledge of Asian business and politics and produce this exceptional book. It is the politicians’ job to defend society’s interests.”, “It is also worth recalling that tranquil Singapore maintains what is probably the highest rate of state executions in the world, well ahead of China or Saudi Arabia.32”, Asian Godfathers: Money and Power in Hong Kong and South East Asia, Asian Godfathers: Money and Power in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Their interests range from banking to property, from shipping to sugar, from vice to gambling. The ‘over-banked’ nature of south-east Asia also helps explain a conundrum that has occupied some of the region’s equity investors: why, despite heady economic growth, have long-term stock market returns in south-east Asia been so poor? 4.27 (2,863 ratings by Goodreads) Paperback. Also available in. In this explosive account, Joe Studwell finds that the facts are even more remarkable than the myths, as he lifts the lid on a world of hypocrisy, power and enormous wealth. July 2nd 2007 If you enjoyed "Crazy Rich Asians", and know a little of economics and finance, you have something of a moral responsibility to read this book. At their peak, eight of the world's two dozen richest families were south-east Asian, yet they are largely unknown outside the region. Asian Godfathers is a riveting and illuminating book that lifts the curtain on a world of staggering secrecy and hypocrisy, and reveals--for the first time--who the leaders of one of the planet's most important and tumultuous markets really are, why they got to the top, and how they keep themselves there. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. The ‘over-banked’ nature of south-east Asia also helps explain a conundrum that has occupied some of the region’s equity investors: why, despite heady economic growth, have long-term stock market returns in south-east Asia been so poor? The Southeast Asian nations of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines – plus the city of Hong Kong – have produced a large number of billionaires. Really important description of how crony capitalism wrecks economies and the hardworking laborers that live in them. However, it still gives a good historical account on some of the rich and famous tycoon in Asia. A review of Asian Godfathers by Joe Studwell. The book is too dense and trying to cover too many things. Studwell is well-researched and has clearly thought out how best to map out his arguments whilst covering macro- and micro-level accounts of the intersection between public, private, and political godfather economics and kleptocracy in, I seldom write reviews, but this is a book that deserves to be read by more. Nothing surprising though for anyone who lives in Asia and follows what's going on. Welcome back. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published Their interests range from banking to property, from shipping to sugar, from gambling to lumber. The economies of Hong Kong and south-east Asia are dominated by only forty or fifty families. … If bank fraud on Wall Street left Mark Baum (for anyone who has seen the Big Short) frothing, the political manoeuvring and financial deception by the select few at the expense of the rest of SEA's population (read: taxpayers and shareholders) make Wall Street's investment bankers look like schoolboys; all a byproduct of opaque, broken poli. Refresh and try again. Refresh and try again. Cosmopolitan privileged people who where in the right place at the right time. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Studwell tries to debunk what he regards as the myth of the SE Asian Horatio Alger-type tycoons, whose successes largely owe to political corruption and government protected cartels. The novel details the story of a fictional Mafia family based in New York City (and Long Beach, New York), headed by Vito Corleone. Exactly what can we do? Error rating book. Although it's now a bit dated (published in 2007), it does provide a nice overview of the political and economic landscape of select countries in Southeast Asia. The Godfather (Mario Puzo's Mafia), Mario Puzo The Godfather is a crime novel written by American author Mario Puzo. I wish more would read this book and realized how the public has been short changed by the government and these individuals. He has particular animus towards Lee Kuan Yew for his racialist theories and elitism and. At their peak, eight of the world’s two dozen richest men were Southeast Asian, but their names would not be familiar to most regular readers of The Wall Street Journal. Studwell has spent fifteen years as a reporter in the region, and he marshals his unprecedented … It's an oligarchy squeezing everyone from common people to even minority shareholders. So why has the southeast languished so long? 13 of the 50 richest families in the … This cozy relationship between the political and merchant class produces monopolies in gaming, commodities, and domestic distribution to the detriment of homegrown businesses that could be competitive on an international level. A complex mythology surrounds them, one which informs Asian views on culture, entrepreneurialism and economics. Lots of information. A complex mythology surrounds these billionaires, but in Asian Godfathers, Joe Studwell finds that the facts are even more remarkable than the myths. Through the hidden lives of some mysterious and fascinating men, Studwell explores the broader economic and political issues facing a region of 500 million people: how the Asian tycoons took such a strong hold over their local economies, how they survived the Asian financial crisis that began in 1997, and what their endurance teaches us about the real state of the countries they live in. My only misgiving is that it sometimes attempts too much, and the mostly engaging writing turns unwieldy at parts. There are big implications here for both China and the USA. Asian Godfathers: Money and Power in Hong Kong and South East Asia. 3.94 avg rating • (493 ratings by Goodreads) Softcover ISBN 10: 1861977115 ISBN 13: 9781861977113. Some people might think it doesn't make sense and are curious how Joe Studwell can explore the truths, but according to my personal experience, Asian Godfathers is such an amazing opportunity for you all to understand and analyze economic situations in SA.