Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
Economist who studies Third Nation Agency in Geopolitics
Danny Quah is Li Ka Shing Professor in Economics at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. His work includes contributions to the fields of economic growth, development economics, monetary economics, macroeconometrics, and the weightless economy. Quah is best known for his research on estimation techniques for disentangling the effects of different disturbances on economies, for his studies on economic growth and convergence across nation states, and for his analyses of large-scale shifts in the global economy. Quah became the dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, beginning his term on 1 May 2018. .. more
Economics
84%
Political science
6%
Ministers to movie stars, everyone wants to talk new world order these days.
The point is not to complain about geopolitics being the dustbin of bad economics. Or how great powers can hurt us, and so we should play exposed-puppydog-belly strategy, and do what they say.
Instead it is to ask, What does economic statecraft tell us is the smartest thing to do?
Instead it is to ask, What does economic statecraft tell us is the smartest thing to do?
When I lived in London I once let slip I'd won silver at the British Championship taekwondo sparring. I remember being deeply offended that all my academic colleagues at School could say was, What age group?
Now, running West Coast parkrun, I am very pleased for age categories.
Now, running West Coast parkrun, I am very pleased for age categories.
When major powers adopt “Might Makes Right, We’re a Superpower” tactics, small states must craft strategic responses.
The point is not to approve or disapprove, or to cheerlead or complain. Instead, it is to ask what is the smartest thing to do.
www.straitstimes.com/opinion/bewa...
The point is not to approve or disapprove, or to cheerlead or complain. Instead, it is to ask what is the smartest thing to do.
www.straitstimes.com/opinion/bewa...
I find this gives me both solace and dread. On the other hand, however, when someone says they reckon Trump has some Grand Strategy that they then try to explain to me... there there is only despair.
This morning from Michael Wolff's Substack // open.substack.com/pub/michaelw....
This morning from Michael Wolff's Substack // open.substack.com/pub/michaelw....
Danny Quah (@dannyquah)
Mark Carney put on the table that capitulation is not the best response, even to someone playing the "We're a Superpower" strategy. Instead, better is to mitigate.
Many might understand the propositi...
substack.com
Mark Carney has put on the table the proposition that capitulation is not the best response, even to someone playing the "We're a Superpower" strategy. Instead, better is to mitigate.
substack.com/@dannyquah/n...
substack.com/@dannyquah/n...
Danny Quah (@dannyquah)
While the Transatlantic West has taken its position against America's "We're a superpower" approach to foreign relations, some observers in Asia and elsewhere continue to consider that European stance...
substack.com
While the Transatlantic West has taken its position against America's "We're a superpower" approach to foreign relations, some observers in Asia and elsewhere consider that European stance naive.
It's striking how badly Might Makes Right goes when it goes bad.
substack.com/profile/1378...
It's striking how badly Might Makes Right goes when it goes bad.
substack.com/profile/1378...
Danny Quah (@dannyquah)
I have friends, both Asian and Transatlantic, who cheer on recent US international actions. They cite a combination of Might Makes Right, and how MAGA and America First are, adjusting for country ide...
substack.com
I have friends who cheer on the US's recent international actions. They cite a combination of Might Makes Right and how MAGA and America First as fine principles. The problem, however, is squaring those with what the US administration is doing to its own people.
substack.com/@dannyquah/n...
substack.com/@dannyquah/n...
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Jan 10
Danny Quah (@dannyquah)
Beyond the deep polarization within the US, a fracture is also emerging internationally.
In the wider world on one side are those who find the foreign policy actions of this US administration deeply ...
substack.com
Beyond the deep polarization within the US, a fracture is also emerging internationally. (...) "Which side were you on when all that was unfolding?"
substack.com/@dannyquah/n...
substack.com/@dannyquah/n...
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Jan 6
Many of my American friends agree 'that's not policy', while many of my Asian friends: "America is now in a stronger position than it's ever been; power is how the world works; the White House is exercising ingenious far-sighted geopolitical grand strategy."
Someone is lying.
Someone is lying.
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Dec 25
At her US Supreme Court confirmation hearings, when Elena Kagan was asked where she was Christmas Day 2009, she said, "You know, like all Jews, I was probably at a Chinese restaurant."
When you have Penang food in Bangsar
When you have Penang food in Bangsar
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Dec 25
If the benefits of the Great Power-led old world order were exaggerated, will a new order be better if organised by Middle Powers, again with small states in tow?
substack.com/@dannyquah/n...
substack.com/@dannyquah/n...
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Dec 22
If multilateralism is dying, what new forms of international engagement might emerge? What forces can help surface future multilateralisms and shape their contours?
substack.com/profile/1378...
substack.com/profile/1378...
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Dec 20
Danny Quah (@dannyquah)
A gentle suggestion on how in social science we describe current US policies
We fail as scholars and thinkers in social science when we let personal antipathy and prejudice overly influence our ana...
substack.com
A gentle suggestion on how in social science we describe current US policies
substack.com/@dannyquah/n...
substack.com/@dannyquah/n...
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Nov 28
"US tariffs are painful. But they affect you only as long as you continue to trade with the US."
Quah, D. 2025. "China + One vs world minus one", in Recalibrating Asia's Frontiers, 38th Asia-Pacific Roundtable, ISIS Malaysia Focus www.isis.org.my/wp-content/u...
DannyQuah.github.io/Storage/2025...
Quah, D. 2025. "China + One vs world minus one", in Recalibrating Asia's Frontiers, 38th Asia-Pacific Roundtable, ISIS Malaysia Focus www.isis.org.my/wp-content/u...
DannyQuah.github.io/Storage/2025...
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Nov 28
Mon 01 Dec 2025 I will be on a panel in London to discuss forces driving and Indo-Pacific consequences of global fragmentation. Via AU, IN, SG High Commissions in the UK, with the Centre for Statecraft and National Security, KCL
Register to take part csns.uk/event/indo-p...
Register to take part csns.uk/event/indo-p...
Reposted by Elizabeth Robinson
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Nov 25
Tue 02 Dec 1200h I'm speaking at LSE's International Development department. But all interested welcomed.
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Nov 17
Apart from "Hwarang tul. Junbi. Sijak", this is how I sound in Korean.
n.news.naver.com/article/009/...
www.koreaherald.com/article/1061...
n.news.naver.com/article/009/...
www.koreaherald.com/article/1061...
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Nov 9
DannyQuah.github.io
Actually, my job here is to help develop sound economic statecraft to protect my part of the world from the MAGA "America First" geoeconomics of a globally irresponsible United States.
(And when I do that here, I'm not being just a development economist.)
DannyQuah.github.io/Storage/2025...
(And when I do that here, I'm not being just a development economist.)
DannyQuah.github.io/Storage/2025...
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Nov 9
When I returned to SE Asia in 2016, a good friend at a top US Economics Department told me I had obviously decided to take the easy way out and retired, so I would no longer have to compete in the fierce competition of frontier economic ideas.
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Nov 2
Along with President Xi and PM Lawrence Wong, I'm Team "Mitigate, don't align." Don't even not align.
www.straitstimes.com/singapore/po...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/31/w...
www.straitstimes.com/opinion/conc...
www.straitstimes.com/singapore/po...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/31/w...
www.straitstimes.com/opinion/conc...
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Oct 30
The Global Distribution of Authorship in Economics Journals
Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and Australia are not developing countries but I reckon the conclusions are invariant if we changed "developing" to "outside the North Transatlantic Axis".
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and Australia are not developing countries but I reckon the conclusions are invariant if we changed "developing" to "outside the North Transatlantic Axis".
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Oct 19
Consider This: The US, China, and a Changing Asia
YouTube video by Astro AWANI
www.youtube.com
We have learnt that America's elasticity is either zero or negative. Nations that have worked hard have not only gotten nothing in return; in several high-profile cases, their circumstances have instead worsened.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2Yd...
open.substack.com/pub/dannyqua...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2Yd...
open.substack.com/pub/dannyqua...
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Oct 17
Geoeconomics isn't "the economics of the global economy" or "economic security". Instead, geoeconomics is, as economic statecraft, the use of economic tools for foreign policy goals. So, doing geoeconomics means knowing your enemy, or identifying the shocks hitting your economy.
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Oct 15
... that uses both foreign policy and national economic tools to advance personal self-interest:
NYT 2025 "Why Vietnam Ignored Its Own Laws to Fast-Track a Trump Family Golf Complex" (25 May)
NYT 2025 "Why Vietnam Ignored Its Own Laws to Fast-Track a Trump Family Golf Complex" (25 May)
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Oct 15
Why Vietnam Ignored Its Own Laws to Fast-Track a Trump Family Golf Complex
www.nytimes.com
If economic fetishism prioritized economic efficiency over national security, and economic statecraft reversed that causality, then instead of debating which side is right, we should instead be looking at state extractionism ...
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/25/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/25/w...
Danny Quah
@dannyquah.bsky.social
· Oct 6
Of course, others went to Princeton too. But not all who start together end up in the same place.