Rina Harun and the rise of celebrity politics

Other than being the longest-reigning ruler in the world, Emperor Qianlong’s biggest achievement was marrying Lady Fuca as his wife. She was unlike any empress in Chinese history: Frugal (wearing flowers on her head instead of expensive jewellery), humble (caring and fair…

The surprising benefit of having the wrong government

Bill and Melinda Gates are no strangers to audacious goals. Their foundation’s website states that their mission was “fighting poverty, diseases, and inequity around the world”, arguably the three biggest problems of our time.  With ample funding,…

Two politicians saved by shame

In 1971, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to a person with three names. For the first 20 years of his life, the recipient was known as Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm, a son to a cashier…

Corruption is scariest without rules

How much money is enough to make you lie? Not much.  Famous behavioural scientist, Dan Ariely, specialises in the study of worst human behaviours. He believes that given a chance, most humans would act worse than what you…