The Rise and Fall of Nations: Ten Rules of Change in the Post-Crisis World

by Ruchir Sharma

“the grass is always greener on the other side,” but the herd is right about where

the grass will be greener.

Big cats are programmed to survive by conserving energy, not to waste it in constant motion.

Do not expend energy on daily or quarterly blips in the numbers.

Adapt to a changing landscape rather than let ego obstruct a strategic retreat. Focus on big trends, and watch for the crossings. Build a system to spot important signs of change, even when everyone around you is comfortably going with the current flow.

there have been four such instances: in the mid-1970s, the early 1980s, the early 1990s, and 2008–9.

Human Development Index (HDI)

This is a classic case of Goodhart’s Law, which says that once a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be useful, partly because so many people have an incentive to doctor numbers to meet it.

Only 30 percent of Asia’s population is covered by a pension plan, compared to more than 90 percent in Europe.

“India is like a relative, but China is like a friend. And relatives are more stingy than friends.”