new internationalist
issue 263 - January 1995
ASIAN
TIGERS - THE FACTS
The growth figures for East and South-East Asia have been raising eyebrows
across the financial world - and furrowing the brows of those who have to live
with the less-publicized consequences. The initial success of the four 'little
tigers' (South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore) in the 1970s and 1980s is
now spreading to their neighbours - Thailand, Malaysia and parts of Indonesia
and China. Here NI takes stock of what has been gained - and at what
cost.
|
Rate of economic growth 1994: 8.3%
THE MIRACLE
|
ECONOMY
Per capita GNP2
|
Average yearly
growth of exports3
|
|
1973
|
1994
|
1970-80
|
1980-92
|
 |
|
|
STANDARDS
Infant mortality
(per 1,000 live births)2
|
Women in secondary
education %3
|
|
1970-75
|
1991
|
1970
|
1991
|
 |
|
THE DOWNSIDE
. Thailand has had an annual rate of deforestation of 2.6%
between 1965 and 1989 - one of the highest in Asia.5
. The absolute number of poor people has increased over the period of
high growth rates.
. In 1992 the Thai military government under General Suchinda massacred
52 democracy demonstrators and arrested 3,000 others.
. Even after the re-establishment of civilian government the whereabouts
of 21 people who disappeared during the crackdown has not been established.
Extra-judicial disappearances and killings are not uncommon in Thailand.
. The fate of union leader Thonong Po-arn at the hands of the military
remains unknown.6
|
|
Rate of economic growth 1994: 8.4%
THE MIRACLE
|
ECONOMY
Per capita GNP2
|
Average yearly
growth of exports3
|
|
1973
|
1994
|
1970-80
|
1980-92
|
 |
|
|
STANDARDS
Infant mortality
(per 1,000 live births)2
|
Women in secondary
education %3
|
|
1970-75
|
1991
|
1970
|
1991
|
 |
|
THE DOWNSIDE
. In 1992-93, 80 political activists were detained without
charge under the Internal Security Act - 126 were held altogether.
. The death penalty remains in force for a variety of crimes.
. In 1993, 28 people were sentenced to death.
. The Internal Security Law has been amended 18 times - each time to give
it more bite.
. Only 12% of manufacturing workers have been able to unionize.8
|
|
Rate of economic growth 1994: 8.8%
THE MIRACLE
|
ECONOMY
Per capita GNP2
|
Average yearly
growth of exports3
|
|
1973
|
1994
|
1970-80
|
1980-92
|
 |
|
|
STANDARDS
Infant mortality
(per 1,000 live births)2
|
Women in secondary
education %3
|
|
1970-75
|
1991
|
1970
|
1991
|
 |
|
THE DOWNSIDE
. For well-educated parents there are subsidies of up to
$5,000 for their first three children. For the poorer and less educated,
subsidies are far less generous.
. Undocumented foreign workers comprise 16% of all prison inmates.
. Some 28% of GDP is siphoned off as transnational profits.
. Women make around 75% of men's wages.
. Unlike other Asian NICs local business has a small role, contributing
only 30% of gross manufacturing output.7
. Capital punishment applies for many offences. Caning is mandatory for
30 offences.
. Riding with a damaged ticket while on the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit
System incurs a fine.
|
|
Rate of economic growth 1994: 4.9%
THE MIRACLE
|
ECONOMY
Per capita GNP2
|
Average yearly
growth of exports3
|
|
1973
|
1994
|
1970-80
|
1980-92
|
 |
|
|
STANDARDS
Infant mortality
(per 1,000 live births)2
|
|
|
1970-75 |
1991
|
|
 |
THE DOWNSIDE
. Hong Kong is the most densely populated city in the world
- 105,000 people per square kilometre (1987), 2.5 times the density of
Lagos, which is next on the list.
. Between 1961 and 1981 population increased by 53% and the number of
cars by 700%.
. The squatter population is in excess of 250,000.
. Hong Kong harbour and surrounding waters are badly polluted. Over 1.6
million cubic meters of waste flow into Victoria Harbour every day. Repulse
Bay has recorded water quality 52 times worse than European safety standards.9
|
|
Rate of economic growth 1994: 6.3%1
THE MIRACLE
|
ECONOMY
Per capita GNP2
|
Average yearly
growth of exports3
|
|
1973
|
1994
|
1970-80
|
1980-92
|
 |
|
|
STANDARDS
Infant mortality
(per 1,000 live births)2
|
Women in secondary
education %3
|
|
1970-75
|
1991
|
1970
|
1991
|
 |
|
THE DOWNSIDE
. Korea has one of the worst records for industrial disputes
over wages and arduous, dangerous working conditions. In 1987 there were
3,742 strikes. In 1992 the number dropped to 235.
. An average of five workers are killed on the job every day and 390 more
injured - one of the highest occupational-accident rates in the world.
. Women workers earn less than 60% of male wages.
. In 1991 Korea had the highest number of labour representatives in prison
of any country in the world.4
|
|
Rate of economic growth 1994: 6.2%
THE MIRACLE
|
ECONOMY
Per capita GNP2
|
Average yearly
growth of exports3
|
|
1973
|
1994
|
1970-80
|
1980-92
|
| n /a |
 |
|
THE DOWNSIDE
. Environmental decay: Some 20% of farmland is polluted
by industrial waste water; 30% of the rice grown by heavy metals. More
than 50% of river water is badly polluted.
. There are three factories per square kilometre.
. Air quality standards in Taipei are unsafe 17% of the time even by lenient
official standards. Cancer rates have doubled over the last 30 years and
asthma cases among children have increased four-fold over the last 10.
. Labour disputes grew from 15 in 1965 to 485 in 1975 to 1,622 in 1985.
Between 1985 and 1987, 4,540 labour disputes went to arbitration before
district courts.7
|
1 Far Eastern Economic
Review, October 1994.
2 Far Eastern Economic Review, October 1974 & October 1994.
3 World Development Report 1993, World Bank.
4 The Rush to Development, Martin Hart-Landsberg, Monthly Review
Press, New York, 1993.
5 World Development Report, 1992, World Bank.
6 Amnesty International Report, London, 1993.
7 Dragons in Distress, Walden Bello, Penguin Books, 1992.
8 State of the Asian Peoples: A Report, ARENA, Hong Kong, 1992.
9 Pacific Asia, David Drakakis-Smith, Routledge, 1992.
Thanks to Trudi Harris for help with research.
