AsiaWeek's Most Powerful 50 People includes few surprises

7th July 1996

Most popular topic of discussion in the board rooms, clubs, hotel lobby bars, and kopi houses around Asia this week is the release of Asiaweek's "Power 50", a listing of the "50 most powerful people in Asia". Authors of the piece, Jose Manuel Tesoro and Ricardo Saludo, also present an interesting analysis of what power really is in Asia. They note that

One thing unifies most of the region's inhabitants, regardless of learning, race or net worth: the triumvirate of fate, face and family

While Lee Kuan Yew continues virtually unchallenged to convince us all that Singapore is really a "meritocracy", Tesoro and Saludo offer the observation that "...Over a third of the Power 50 belong to households that retain power beyond the passing of its leading members..." and that "Asian leaders feel most secure relying on close family members or tried and tested friends of long standing.."

The authors then in good text book style discuss the various forms of power; political, military, financial, "brute force" and moral influence. Indonesian President Soeharto scores the top place after "three decades (as) unchallenged ruler of one of Asia's most populous countries". "Runners-up" were PRC President Jiang Zemin, Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui, and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. The list is top heavy with those who wield political influence with business people in the minority. There is still room for Sun Yee On "Dragon Head" at Number 34 whose address is listed at "Tsimsahtsui, Kowloon", though Id doubt youlld see him wandaring down Nathan Road going shopping. He heads up one of the, if not the, most powerful triad group with close relations with Chinese officials. We are spared his mug shot, "for legal reasons".

AsiaWeek, for one, thinks Australia is part of Asia; Rupert Murdoch (..who said the pen is mightier than the sword?..(Ed.)), is at Number 6 and newly elected Australian Prime Minister John Howard can boast a charitable Number 46

Significantly, there is only room for 4 women in the 50, and Myanmar Dissident Leader just makes it at 50, an example of brute force winning over political power.

Before we get sued for copyright you'll have to buy your own copy, though of course it would be impolite to mention Tesoro's and Saludo's key thesis, that suggests that even given the "Asian Psyche" of "face, fate and family" the structure of power in Asia may be starting to creak under the strains of globalisation. They write:

...with the New Asia's growing democratic tendencies, the old power alliances built on family, friendship, and finance are no longer enough to keep leaders and magnates secure. Indeed many government officials face term limits, while tycoons often have to professionalise management to win investor confidence..

Interestingly enough, with all the talk of Asian values, psyche, fate, face and family, the authors chose to end with a quote from Thoreau of all people, who you would normally expect to be as out of place in this treatise as a pig on the spit at a Terangannu barbeque. To quote the quote:

...There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived...

No doubt Asia's 50 most powerful will be filing Thoreau next to their Sun Tze from now on...(;-)