Chasing mirages: How the Image Trap holds developing countries captive

In geo-politics and geo-economics we discuss, debate and analyze many Traps such as Thucydides Trap, Middle-Income Trap, Debt Trap, De-coupling Trap, Resource Trap (more powerful nation would endeavor to extract critical natural endowments from a less developed nation to advance and fuel economy), Weaponization of Inter-dependence Trap, SME Trap, Education Trap, Poverty Trap, Status-Seeker Trap and Inequality Trap amongst others.

- By PROF. A SAJ U MENDIS, PHD

These are concepts which could have menacing geo-economic and geo-political impingements, leading the less developed nation/s to be trapped at the same level of economic development or even retrogress development.

Many of the developing nations as well as least developed nations have got entangled in the so-called “Image Trap”. In other words, historically, since the Egyptian or Chinese civilization, let alone the Roman Civilization, well over six millennia ago, no country has ever developed, economically or commercially, without changing, enhancing or “aggrandizing” its image nationally, regionally and globally. This particular “Image Trap” is mostly inherent and has to be addressed by the political leaders, corporates, academia and civic society, amongst others. Image Trap could be described as the manner in which neighboring countries, region and global community view and profile a particular nation and their impression, perception, grasp and standing of that country.

How to break the Image Trap:

In this context, it is imperative to accentuate that the political leaders, policy makers and corporates, amongst others, have a dominant and fundamental role to play in aggrandizing and boosting the image and profile of a given nation. When a given country advances its governance, internal security and safety, rule of law, macro and micro economy and infrastructure, connectivity, commercial advancement and tourism, external trade, competitiveness, socio-economic indicators, travel documents (passport), and overall standards of living of the populace in all provinces leading to higher GDP and GDP per capita. This, in turn, raises the integral image and perception of the country. It is vital to realize the fact that the rise of image and profile and economic expansion including human capital of a given country, do occur concurrently and in unison.