Dubai - a brilliant article on what we all know

[StinkyPinky]

We all know Dubai is a sham, but this article has the best write up I've seen. Fascinating and disturbing reading...

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html

It's the attitudes of westerners that disgust me the most.

The only hostel for women in Dubai – a filthy private villa on the brink of being repossessed – is filled with escaped maids. Mela Matari, a 25-year-old Ethiopian woman with a drooping smile, tells me what happened to her – and thousands like her. She was promised a paradise in the sands by an agency, so she left her four year-old daughter at home and headed here to earn money for a better future. "But they paid me half what they promised. I was put with an Australian family – four children – and Madam made me work from 6am to 1am every day, with no day off. I was exhausted and pleaded for a break, but they just shouted: 'You came here to work, not sleep!' Then one day I just couldn't go on, and Madam beat me. She beat me with her fists and kicked me. My ear still hurts. They wouldn't give me my wages: they said they'd pay me at the end of the two years. What could I do? I didn't know anybody here. I was terrified."

Later, in a hotel bar, I start chatting to a dyspeptic expat American who works in the cosmetics industry and is desperate to get away from these people. She says: "All the people who couldn't succeed in their own countries end up here, and suddenly they're rich and promoted way above their abilities and bragging about how great they are. I've never met so many incompetent people in such senior positions anywhere in the world." She adds: "It's absolutely racist. I had Filipino girls working for me doing the same job as a European girl, and she's paid a quarter of the wages. The people who do the real work are paid next to nothing, while these incompetent managers pay themselves £40,000 a month."

With the exception of her, one theme unites every expat I speak to: their joy at having staff to do the work that would clog their lives up Back Home. Everyone, it seems, has a maid. The maids used to be predominantly Filipino, but with the recession, Filipinos have been judged to be too expensive, so a nice Ethiopian servant girl is the latest fashionable accessory.

As she says this, I remember a stray sentence I heard back at Double Decker. I asked a British woman called Hermione Frayling what the best thing about Dubai was. "Oh, the servant class!" she trilled. "You do nothing. They'll do anything!"

Humans suck.

 

[JS80]

I wonder what % of these expats are scum like that. I have a buddy who just came back from there, he had two maids and paid them double because he felt so bad.

 

[StageLeft]

I read this article last year but it is interesting. Apparently a lot of expats flee the country. They'll simply park their car at the airport and leave it there, never to return.

My brother lives in this part of the world and although he may think me a Western fool I think he does not appreciate what he has left. The middle east is nothing more than a backwoods place with antiquated laws and customs and the freedom you may ostensibly have can be stolen in a minute. In Dubai, sure it's pretty with its new glass and concrete but that is merely a facade. You get on the wrong side of the law, even for having a fleck of marijuana somehow on your shoe from God knows where, and you'll quickly wish you were back home. The governments are not shaped by established democracies and free speech, they are corrupt monarchies.

Can you imagine actually living somewhere where the buck ultimately stops with a guy who is in his position because he was born into it?

Most of Dubai has been built with an upper class of expats bringing their money from richer nations and the physical labor done by a much larger lower class of expats who are essentially indentured servants and live in poor conditions and have limited rights.

 

[Craig234]

I wonder what % of these expats are scum like that. I have a buddy who just came back from there, he had two maids and paid them double because he felt so bad.

It's interesting how righties sometimes uncover some consciece when confronted with what 'free market' can mean. It's a good thing. Much of human history is filled with such bad situations.

 

[yllus]

You'd be surprised how quickly you can begin taking servants for granted. Not to the extent of making them work 19 hours a day without vacations or to the point where you feel like you can assault them, but it's just so damned easy there to pay someone pennies on the dollar to keep your place in top-top shape...

Anyways, what Schmabbles said - the UAE is a backwater hole with a bunch of steel-and-glass buildings plopped on top. The way they spend and distribute their money makes me wish the entire rackets falls down around them.

 

[Sacrilege]

It's interesting how righties sometimes uncover some consciece when confronted with what 'free market' can mean. It's a good thing. Much of human history is filled with such bad situations.

The Righties only uncover some conscience because it's a Moslem "free market," or "souk." Any chance to get a dig in at the Moslem "inferior culture" as they say.

 

[Zorkorist]

They aren't backwards, and are progressive for an Islamic state.

They sure as heck don't need the slamming that has gone on since whatever news story.

We're dealing with Islamic States, and yes they need help/changing, but Dubai is a leader in changing.

Vent on Saudi Arabia for a while.

-John

 

[Patranus]

Well, those maids can work for pennies on the dollar in Dubai or sit in their home country and starve to death.

This is why jobs are leaving America.

 

[JS80]

It's interesting how righties sometimes uncover some consciece when confronted with what 'free market' can mean. It's a good thing. Much of human history is filled with such bad situations.

What the fuck are you blabbing about? What fucking free market? Free market in the middle east? Are you fucking stupid? How is confiscating your passport and getting paid half of what you were contracted to free market?

 

[Sacrilege]

They aren't backwards, and are progressive for an Islamic state.

They sure as heck don't need the slamming that has gone on since whatever news story.

We're dealing with Islamic States, and yes they need help/changing, but Dubai is a leader in changing.

Vent on Saudi Arabia for a while.

-John

Well said. The UAE may still have repressive and backward aspects, but its reforms and progression should be praised and encouraged, so that the rest of the Arab world follows it.

That's ultimately what the US wants, to end the menace of terror, right??? Or do some Americans want a perpetual enemy and a massive "clash of cultures." Maybe some Americans want it to be socially acceptable to hate brown skinned people. Hatred of an external, foreign enemy provides many people with comfort.

 

[yllus]

Well said. The UAE may still have repressive and backward aspects, but its reforms and progression should be praised and encouraged, so that the rest of the Arab world follows it.

That's ultimately what the US wants, to end the menace of terror, right??? Or do some Americans want a perpetual enemy and a massive "clash of cultures." Maybe some Americans want it to be socially acceptable to hate brown skinned people. Hatred of an external, foreign enemy provides many people with comfort.

If their repressive and backward aspects were the exception and not the rule, maybe they'd be worthy of some praise. As it stands however I'm not about to heap compliments upon one person just because they're not the complete degenerate another person is.

The soft, condescending racism of having two sets of standards because those poor uneducated Arabs just haven't come along that far yet isn't really all that much better than outright expressions of hatred. Middle Easterners aren't children that need to be encouraged for every small step forward they take. We're all adults. It's about time we all acted like it.

Well, those maids can work for pennies on the dollar in Dubai or sit in their home country and starve to death.

This is why jobs are leaving America.

Jobs are leaving America because maids from Ethiopia and the Philippines are getting falsely led into indentured servitude in the Middle East? Are you on crack?

 

[Craig234]

Well, those maids can work for pennies on the dollar in Dubai or sit in their home country and starve to death.

This is why jobs are leaving America.

Just as a reminder, my position on the issue has long been:

We should be concerned about the poor of the world, not ignore or exploit them.

Global economics are the leading way to help the poor in the world. It's one big economy.

But, just blindly making it 'flat' is a formula for a few to get rich while the wealthier nations are mostly gutted - even if it's pleasant while the resources leave and cheap tv's come in, until the money runs out.

What we need is a solid economic plan to both protect the wealth nations and help the poor both.

That can involve a variety of things I won't try to list here, but might for example involve selecting some industries to be more 'free trade' while preseving more protection for others.

What we've had has been more chaotic. Many poor have been helped, but there have been big problems and will be many more.

One aspect I'd like to see made a priority in these economic plans is the increase in human rights to the developing nations. Just having them become economic powehouses with crappy government is bad.

And oh by the way, in the long term, a threat to the freedoms in the US, out of competition. If your competitors are slave states, you are drug closer to that.

 

[Greenman]

It's interesting how righties sometimes uncover some consciece when confronted with what 'free market' can mean. It's a good thing. Much of human history is filled with such bad situations.

There is no free market in UAE that I've ever heard of, and damn little that would fall under the heading of human rights.
I also don't understand why you have issues with basic freedoms like buying and selling goods, or what you would replace that system with.

 

[Zebo]

Slavery still exists in some Muslim states and was only forbidden the last 30 years or so in majority. Many Muslims and Imam's say it's totally justified. For example, high-level Saudi jurist, Shaykh Saleh Al-Fawzan, issued a fatwa claiming “Slavery is a part of Islam. Slavery is part of jihad, and jihad will remain as long there is Islam” - so it should come as no surprise Dubai et al still treat some like slaves. More here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_and_slavery

Incidentally I worked for Al-Saud family they treated westerners wonderfully, still took our pass ports though, but the Philippianos and Malaysians were treated like dirt. Got slapped etc. I had two who worked for me domestically and a Egyptian driver treated them well and they loved working for me.

 

[Zorkorist]

If their repressive and backward aspects were the exception and not the rule, maybe they'd be worthy of some praise. As it stands however I'm not about to heap compliments upon one person just because they're not the complete degenerate another person is.

The soft, condescending racism of having two sets of standards because those poor uneducated Arabs just haven't come along that far yet isn't really all that much better than outright expressions of hatred. Middle Easterners aren't children that need to be encouraged for every small step forward they take. We're all adults. It's about time we all acted like it.



Jobs are leaving America because maids from Ethiopia and the Philippines are getting falsely led into indentured servitude in the Middle East? Are you on crack?

I don't know what you are talking about re: racism.

We are talking religion here, and how Islamic States need help.

-John

 

[Zorkorist]

Slavery still exists in some Muslim states and was only forbidden the last 30 years or so in majority..

LOL!

-John

 

[Zorkorist]

Religion is a form of Government.

It's a lesser form, as it relies on Faith, while Government relies on Arguement.

It's lessor because it's arguements are unassailable, while most Government leave room for discussion.

But they are both related, because they stiffle the individual, "for the greater good."

-John

 

[yllus]

I don't know what you are talking about re: racism.

We are talking religion here, and how Islamic States need help.

-John

That's because I responded to someone else's post and not yours. However, the same basic point applies. Why the caveat "progressive for an Islamic state"? Do you actually think it's helpful to the citizens of a country to hold their government to a different (lower) standard?

 

[Zorkorist]

I think it is an obvious progression from a government by religion, to government by state.

It's what is happening here.

-John

 

[Zebo]

They aren't backwards, and are progressive for an Islamic state.

They sure as heck don't need the slamming that has gone on since whatever news story.

We're dealing with Islamic States, and yes they need help/changing, but Dubai is a leader in changing.

Vent on Saudi Arabia for a while.

-John

You mean except for the Dubai leaders keeping a stable of slave boys to race camels.

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html

And concubines

http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=79131&page=1

And debtors prisons

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/world/middleeast/12dubai.html

 

[Craig234]

There is no free market in UAE that I've ever heard of, and damn little that would fall under the heading of human rights.
I also don't understand why you have issues with basic freedoms like buying and selling goods, or what you would replace that system with.

I'll clarify my point. The 'free market' phrase is a delusion that righties have a simplistic version of.

They look at some crazy government regulation, are against it, and think the alternative is being for the 'free market'.

It's a lot more complicated than that. The entire theory of democracy has close to its middle the idea of 'the people' influencing the society in ways that adjust the 'free market' for the better.

And the 'free market' is inflenced by countless factors that they are not well understanding. Things that god back decades and longer, various political powers, wars, all kinds of factors.

This all leads to my point that sometimes the 'free market' leads to terrible misery and poverty for some people, and the reasons can involve 'corruption' and 'injustice' having only to do with private, not public, factors. Indeed the history of the human race is just dominated by such bad situations. And the 'free market' rhetoric directly attacks good things that can help improvie the situation. It's a big lie.

My point here wasn't to say that there aren't factors that aren't 'free market' but rather to point at the miserable situation, and say that can happen in a 'free market', and it's a reminder why it's unacceptable.

You greatly misunderstand my position, my objction to 'free market'. I'm hardly against 'buying and selling goods'. In fact I'm strongly for it.

But I'm for democracy being able to improve things, and not be blocked in every effort by an ideology. "No, sorry, you CAN'T have the government pass food safety laws, that's not free market."

Not being for the free market doesn't look all that different from what you think of as the free market. In fact, we are far from a 'free market' now and that's been the case for the nation's history.

Though we came closer - with the misery - in the late 19th century.

 

[Zorkorist]

You mean except for the Dubai leaders keeping a stable of slave boys to race camels.

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html

And concubines

http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=79131&page=1

And debtors prisons

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/world/middleeast/12dubai.html

Today, debtors prisons are known as real prisons for credit card fraud.

Has it changed that much?

-John

 

[Zorkorist]

For Concubines, see Vegas...

er' um...

-John

 

[Zorkorist]

Slave boys... maybe in an inner city... see Detroit.

You happy now, Zebo?

-John

 

[Zorkorist]

I'll clarify my point. The 'free market' phrase is a delusion that righties have a simplistic version of.

They look at some crazy government regulation, are against it, and think the alternative is being for the 'free market'.

It's a lot more complicated than that. The entire theory of democracy has close to its middle the idea of 'the people' influencing the society in ways that adjust the 'free market' for the better.

And the 'free market' is inflenced by countless factors that they are not well understanding. Things that god back decades and longer, various political powers, wars, all kinds of factors.

This all leads to my point that sometimes the 'free market' leads to terrible misery and poverty for some people, and the reasons can involve 'corruption' and 'injustice' having only to do with private, not public, factors. Indeed the history of the human race is just dominated by such bad situations. And the 'free market' rhetoric directly attacks good things that can help improvie the situation. It's a big lie.

My point here wasn't to say that there aren't factors that aren't 'free market' but rather to point at the miserable situation, and say that can happen in a 'free market', and it's a reminder why it's unacceptable.

You greatly misunderstand my position, my objction to 'free market'. I'm hardly against 'buying and selling goods'. In fact I'm strongly for it.

But I'm for democracy being able to improve things, and not be blocked in every effort by an ideology. "No, sorry, you CAN'T have the government pass food safety laws, that's not free market."

Not being for the free market doesn't look all that different from what you think of as the free market. In fact, we are far from a 'free market' now and that's been the case for the nation's history.

Though we came closer - with the misery - in the late 19th century.

Craig,

You don't have the slightest idea of how free markets work.

Please read Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations"

-John