Experience of Kuwait

4. What is the view of the population in Kuwait on globalisation regarding a win-win-strategy? Do they seek a win-win situation for everybody?

Answer by Jana Hybášková:

Kuwait was part of global trade for centuries. Historians will not agree with the “out of Europe understanding” of globalization. Nevertheless, global trade routes existed well before the Levant and East Indian Company were established. The price of wood, the price of rice, the price of sandalwood, price of gold were global even before then. Kuwait produced pearls; Kuwaiti sailors sold them in India in exchange for timber, copper and rice. They were sailing East for months and then returning West. Their wives never accompanied them. They live a local life, taking care of children and animals. Men were part of the global world. The issue was: How to protect woman? She should stay at home, each home was a small fortress, she should be veiled and never leave the house without male company. What seems today as a total disregard of women's rights, used to be a working security measure. Men did not return home in less than 8 months…

The whole life changed rapidly during the fifties due to the oil business and the UK's negotiated departure. Within less than two generations Kuwait became one of the richest societies in the world. Kuwait is a great case study for globalization purposes: can globalization amplified by unaccountable wealth be used in a sustainable way? Kuwait managed to develop great health care, and educational, security, energy, transportation systems. The social and technical infrastructure is financed directly by the state. The State, as a technical structure functions well. What is left behind is Kuwaiti society. Kuwait does not have a taxation system. No taxation, no representation. Huge wealth on one the side, which was not used to the benefit of all society, caused the marginalization of foreign workers who are the only real working part of the Kuwaiti state. Disregard for public work, to work generally harms Kuwaiti youth.

It was not only oil trauma, but Kuwait went through a unique experience in the 1990s. Total physical occupation by the barbaric army of Saddam Hussein lasted for 8 months. In Europe we don't have enough information on what really happened in Kuwait. As decades and centuries earlier, many families were split: men were on their global trade paths, women were at home. These were Kuwaiti women who protected houses, bank accounts, kids, family ownership. Their trauma can never be healed. These are Kuwaiti women today who do not trust the world, who fully maintain their conservative habits and manners, who cover themselves, who are true believers, who do not drink and smoke…

Globalization wealth and oil income made Kuwait a victim of Saddam's invasion. Fast globalization brought war and suffering. Kuwait is recovering only very slowly. And trust in the modern world is being regained only very slowly, and only very slowly are Kuwaitis opening their Universities, give voting rights to women, bringing their woman into parliament.

Kuwait is getting back its pride, its museums, and its public life only very slowly. The strategic threat nevertheless is not smaller than it was. Iraq is not fully democratic yet, and Iran has already become an existential threat. The Iranian nuclear problem and the Saudi reaction to it is a new blockage on the Kuwaiti road to openness, modernization, democratization.

Kuwait sees its world role through its Kuwaiti Fund of Arab Economic Development. KFAED is an enormous global development fund, present in more than 50 underdeveloped countries. KFAED is great example of shared global benefit, of a positive instrument of globalization. KFAED is managed in a great modern and global way. Let us wish that Kuwait gets rid of its strategic threats soon. In this case Kuwait will even more be willing to share its wealth with peoples in need. Kuwait, if not being harmed by external military threats would be a great globalization contributor.

The conclusion is clear: Without strategic threats globalization will be closer to a win-win situation. To better manage globalization we should properly manage strategic threats.