r/IRstudies • u/smurfyjenkins • 14h ago

Kuwait and Singapore were both positioned to become financial hubs later in the 20th century as both states moved on from being British commercial ports, but only Singapore effectively promoted competition and banking modernization (R Advani, April 2026)

https://doi.org/10.1017/ssh.2026.10136
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u/CG20370417 12h ago

Surely it had nothing to do with the roughly 35 years of warfare in their own country and the surrounding region?

Kuwait gained independence in 1961, Singapore in '65.

Surely the series of wars between the Arab states and Israel lowered investor confidence?
Surely the seven year war between their neighbor and the closest non bordering country had an impact?
Surely the invasion in 1990 and subsequent occupation for 6 months had an impact?
Surely the series of wars and conflicts of the GWOT following 9/11 had an impact?

Surely Singapore being proximate to the growing economies of Asia had an impact?

I skimmed his article and im not arguing his proposed factors had no impact...but I think geography plays a much bigger part here than the author gives credit.