Tribes : How Race, Religion and Identity Determine Success in the New Global Economy

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Summary: A Cosmopolitan Perspective on Business and Culture
Review: "Tribes", by Joel Kotkin (1992 Random House) This book is necessary reading for anyone interested in learning in depth about the increasingly multicultural aspects of modern business, leadership and education. Kotkin shares a thorough and thoroughly researched understanding of the origins and growth of "Global Tribes". He discusses the history and economic impact of the diaspora cultures of the Jews, Japanese, Chinese, Indian and British.

Where many futurist authors talk about a "Post-Modern era", Kotkin frames the future as "Post Cold-War". He states that increasingly ethnic identities will determine the primary sphere of social and economic identity, and not current political identities. In the Epilogue he talks about Cosmopolis, a world dominated by cosmopolitan centers with multiethnic identities, rather than a world dominated by political identities. He ties this idea of the economic power and multicultural complexity of future cosmopolitan cities to the rise and eventual domination of great cosmopolitan cities of the past such as Alexandria, Canton, London, Rome, and others. While this is his conclusion, the bulk of the book is a very cosmopolitan discussion of the economic and social impact of the growth of five Global Tribes, and the changes that have, and will, come with them. Each culture has in common that they are largely disconnected from the culture they find themselves in, have a strong ethnic identity "a vocation of uniqueness", a strong work ethic, and a theology that allows them to work pragmatically in the business community. Of particular interest was his discussion about the rise, near decline, and limitations of the Japanese "diaspora by design". His discussion is neither prejudiced nor chauvinist, but centered on a thorough understanding of Japanese history and the perspective. For that reason alone, the book is worth reading. Other minor players in the Cosmopolis, such as Jains and Mormons, are also discusse! d. It is refreshing to read a well-researched book on global economic and political patterns that is not coloured by an American centered understanding of world developments. If one is going to consider business or leadership interactions outside of an Anglo-American perspective, there is much to think about here.

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Summary: there is a dark side of strategizing ethnic groups
Review: There is a dark side of disproportionate wealth and it's explored in depth in "World on Fire" by Amy Chua. I read there that in the Philippines the ethnic Chinese make up one percent of the population, but control seventy percent of the wealth. One danger is that there can be an ethnic cleansing as another reviewer mentioned. Another danger is destroying democracy, since the economically dominant minority wouldn't tolerate it after reaching such an extreme disparity of wealth. I hope USA doesn't end up like the Philippines.

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Summary: A great book on the dynamic link between culture and wealth
Review: This is a great book that has a keen and insightful look into how certain cultures and ethnic groups rise to prominence in a global economy. The author focuses on five "Tribes": the Jews, the British, the Japanese, the Chinese, and the Indians. Kotkin is always fair, objective, and intelligent when it comes to explaining how and why these groups have developed the "cultural capital" to attain disproportionate economic success.

Kotkin lays out his work in an excellent chronological manner, which strongly demonstrates the dynamic nature on how these groups rose economically over the course of history and time. He also notes differences between the groups and some problems within them, such as pointing out the more centralized and "engineered" rise of the Japanese "Tribe", or the decline of the British work ethic.

Kotkin then neatly follows these 5 groups with a discussion on what he perceives as "future Tribes" rising in economic success and wealth, such as Mormons and Palestinians (who are by far the most educated, entrepreneurial, and enterprising people in the Arab world; just look at the pre-1991 Kuwaiti economy). This dynamist and forward-looking perspective cements Kotkins narrative being very progressive and non-prejudiced.

Although, as mentioned, Kotkin is extremely fair and objective, it is important to point out that he does come from a certain perspective, namely a kind of neoliberal and neolibertarian outlook that places a strong emphasis on cultural dynamism (i.e., cultures as organic and evolving, rather than having determined, static boundaries). I happen to greatly agree with this perspective, which is probably why I personally like the book so much.

If there is one minor shortcoming of this book, it would be that Kotkin did not fully explore the dark side of disproportionate economic success in an ethnic group. There is the external dark side, namely the envy, jealousy, oppression, and even genocide faced by economically successful cultural groups, especially when they are a politically weak minority. History is replete with these stories, whether they be Indians in East Africa, Chinese in Southeast Asia, or Jews in Europe. There is also the internal dark side, whereby the economic success in an ethnic group may lead to a suffocation of individual lifestyle and cultural choices (i.e., pressure to conform) and a condescending if not bigoted view of other cultures, especially the majority cultures in ones they're living. These themes are further explored in several books by conservative author Thomas Sowell.

Overall, however, the book is a wonderful primer on this "ethno-economic" phenomenon. Any one who has ever asked the question "Why are all the nail salons 'controlled' by Vietnamese?" must read this book.