The Dragon and The Elephant - David Smith

It’s interesting to note that the author chooses to represent China and India with a dragon and an elephant respectively. Size, power and perhaps fury captured well by the representative creatures. The book after all, is about the Chinese and Indian economies, their fall from their glorious history to very recent, but endemic, poverty, and their rising impact in the global economy in the more recent times.

Most books on economics, especially the ones about countries at a specific point in time tend to have a very short shelf life. They are applicable only for a few years after which they are published. This is especially true in the more dynamic times of today. But this particular book would make for a good read well into the future for its historical perspective. It provides a very good sneak-peek into the history of Chinese and Indian Economies and its journey for over 2000 years, the last 50 years or so being obviously more detailed.

The book then goes about discussing the impact of the two giants on the world economy. Overall, this section provides some useful details to the more generic knowledge an average Joe might have. Indeed, the author cites just the right number of examples and facts and figures too convey his point. He could easily have been carried away, but he doesn’t wander away from the theme of the book.

Lastly the book takes a predictive tone as the author states the ten ways in which China and India will impact the world. The author is careful not to over-state things, and is neither overly optimistic nor an alarmist in his visions of China, India and the world in 2050.

As a reader, you will appreciate that the author doesn’t patronize anything about either of the two countries and neither does he take a pro-western or a pro-globalization or pro-anything stance through the book. The book is very simply and completely about what the title suggests. The book serves a very good purpose in giving the people who are getting increasingly aware of the China and India, and maybe would also help to shatter some myths and stereotypes about the countries. After all, they are more than just about the dragons and elephants.