dagblog - Comments for "Meet the new boss?"

I just reread your post and

Obey — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:06:41 +0000

In reply to Meet the new boss?

I just reread your post and comments, and I think we're going to have to disagree on whether we disagree on this...
;0)

I think we basically agree.

oleeb — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 18:39:04 +0000

In reply to Meet the new boss?

I think we basically agree. Either I haven't communicated my point well or you are missing it.

Agreed. While it's always

hrebendorf — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:52:48 +0000

In reply to Meet the new boss?

Agreed. While it's always tempting to talk about these problems as if there are no people involved--as if our strategic decisions can completely ignore human suffering--we can't simply put the Chinese back in their place and no harm done. The fact is, China's future and ours are now inextricably entwined. The Chinese people need us and we need them. Lamenting a world that never was and was never to be is pointless.

http://www3.nfb.ca/webextension/up-the-yangtze/q-a.php

I agree. At this point, I'd

hrebendorf — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:35:43 +0000

In reply to Meet the new boss?

I agree. At this point, I'd say the Chinese are being extraordinarily circumspect.

Of course we all remember the

hrebendorf — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:31:39 +0000

In reply to Meet the new boss?

Of course we all remember the bad old days of the Bush years, when Bush used to order the military to gather up American citizens in buses, drive them to Wal-mart and force them, at gunpoint, to buy goods manufactured in China. Thank God those days are over.

I really disagree with you

Obey — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 15:59:42 +0000

In reply to Meet the new boss?

I really disagree with you here. There's an unhealthy American paranoia every time some country starts to even approach US clout in any region of the globe. China is a regional player, much more trusted and respected in their dealings by the other players in the region than the US is. And I say that as someone who has lived and worked in a few countries over there...

Why not Out Loud? They're not

Obey — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 15:54:37 +0000

In reply to Meet the new boss?

Why not Out Loud? They're not worried about solvency. They're worried about a debtor DECIDING to run away from their obligations. I suppose the hope is to shame this country into taking those obligations seriously, but given the discussion around here, that doesn't seem likely. (sorry, I'm grumpy in the morning...)

Thank you for your reasoned

TheraP — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:54:46 +0000

In reply to Meet the new boss?

Thank you for your reasoned words here. I'm no student of history except to see that there are inevitable rises and falls and that the great masses of humanity nearly always get overlooked and downtrodden. I too can see how terrifying it must be to have so many millions of unemployed people. Unemployed people could be rebellious people. So, China may be "winning" one game or a couple of games, but boy have they got real and potential problems, as you point out.

No country is the Great Satan.

I really recommend Jim

Saladin — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 09:33:18 +0000

In reply to Meet the new boss?

I really recommend Jim Fallows latest article it has some great insights for this discussion.

I love watching China put on water shows and diplomatic Kabuki dances. But I can't help but note some issues:

Chinese Dawn, (and don't even ask about the rivers and desertification)
800 million peasants, 200 million!!! looking for work right now. (had a link, but TPM link rules)
Declining demographics- The one child policy has some serious economic implications. They are aging rapidly

China has deliberatly suppressed their currency for decades, our debt is a consequence of that. If we inflate, they will be forced to as well; relative postiotions will be maintained.

They are winning a long term game, but only in the sense that post WWII American dominance was always unsustainable. China is playing its hand well and they will be a major world player, but they have internal problems that we can barely fathom. Nothing is going to change anytime soon.

That particular quote comes

Saladin — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 09:07:04 +0000

In reply to Meet the new boss?

That particular quote comes from Napoleon...