The Dark Side of Dubai

[The Ex-Factor]

Beware, this article is extremely long so if you're on a coffee break or something save it for later. But when you have 10 minutes take some time and read about the depressing decadence of Dubai:

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http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html

[Sensei]

that was one lengthy article.

Suffice it to say, I'm not planning a trip to Dubai.

[War on Want]

I've known about this for a very long time. The oil based "prosperity" of many arabian states is based off of slave labor.

[patrick1]

xfactor, thanks for posting this.  The sad part is that their are dark sides to every city.   Only several miles from me there are probably Chinese being held against their will in sweatshops or E Europeans in sexual slavery.  Dubai is only much, much worse and rather open about it.   The worst are some of those beastly expats.  A likely inebriated British woman gets 3 days in jail for running over an Indian and her friends are just appalled for that poor woman.  No one cares for the guy who got hit.    I really hope the writer just has a flare for the dramatic but I doubt it.   It really makes apparent the basest natures of human beings,  .   

[JohnFKennedy]

There was a documentary about construction workers in Dubai on over here the other night; conditions were absolutely ghastly so I don't think it really is just flair.

[Hash]

This is surprising how? It's the Middle East. It's Dubai.

Dubai must have changed a sh**tload since I was there like 9-10 years ago.

[opebo]

Um, fellows, every booming capitalist success is built on someone's misery.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Everybody always awes over how amazing this oasis in the desert is...

But it is the single prime example of unfettered, unregulated capitalism propped up by a greedy, corrupt government.  It is everything that was wrong and misrepresented about this "global prosperity" that we were building over the past 15 years or so.

If you want an example of free market policies that have been somewhat successful, forget Dubai.  Hong Kong is much better.  But Hong Kong is also the cream of the crop for global trade.  You aren't going to make Kansas look like Hong Kong by simply adopting similar economic policies. 

[Tetro Kornbluth]

I was unaware there was a 'non-Dark side' to Dubai. What is it exactly?

[opebo]

I was unaware there was a 'non-Dark side' to Dubai. What is it exactly?

Haha, good point.  Another of the worlds numberless sh**tholes.

[2952-0-0]

I bet that in 20 years people will go to Dubai just as people go to Pompeii, Chitzen Itza, Angkor, Manchu Picchu, and Xanadu.

[bgwah]

I eagerly await Dubai's spectacular downfall.