Many Americans, myself included, look over our shoulders at China, a nation whose wealth and global standing have sky-rocketed over the past two decades. Is China poised to replace America as the world's hegemon; are the factors that have fueled Chinese acceleration sustainable, and what obstacles stand in China's way? Today's "TDIH" gives us a glimpse of at least one of them.
As always, happy Wednesday and happy reading.
This Day in History
1989 - The Tiananmen Square Protests begin in Beijing when over a million protesters take to the streets to demand more freedom of government. These protests ultimately culminated in a massacre in which thousands of Chinese citizens were killed and thousand more arrested. Though they were iconic, the protests did not lead to any lasting or meaningful reform in China, which still limits the rights and freedoms of its people in very extreme manners.
Alone Atop the Mountain
Since the end of WWII, and particularly since the collapse of the USSR, the United States has been the world's powerhouse nation, ahead of the pack by any number of metrics, a clear hegemon especially for the last two decades. More than wondering if China will replace the US as the global hegemon, I wonder if the world is too intertwined for any nation to claim hegemony. It seems there are too many myriad, complex factors of interdependence for any one nation to control. Perhaps it is impossible to be alone atop the mountain.
In particular, China's relations with its own neighbors have soured as its strength has grown (from Stripes). Inevitably, China's economic strength pulls its neighbors into its orbit, but it is telling that an old enemy such as Vietnam trusts America more than its old friend and ally, China. It would be premature to name China a hegemon when it is still on frosty terms with many of its neighbors.
On Fueling and Sustaining Growth
Which are admittedly topics about which I know less than the Economist, which is why I will refer you there for their analysis on China's model of "Bamboo Capitalism" (from the Economist). China's leadership seems to have done a relatively deft job of steering the Chinese economy through a period of sustained growth, but it raises the question of how much of that growth was fueled by factors outside the governments control, and if can be sustained without transitioning to more open, market-based system. Currently, the Chinese economy has been slowing and slumping, creating waves of global panic. Is the Bamboo Capitalism model sustainable, or does the Chinese economy need a makeover?
The Crazy Guy Next Door
His name is Kim Jong-un, and his haircut makes Donald Trump's toupee look stylish. America may have won the lottery of neighboring countries by getting to share the world's longest unprotected border with Canada; China had no such luck with North Korea. Although the North Koreans focus their verbal fire on America and South Korea, China, as one of their only allies and protector state, has to deal with all of the saber-rattling silliness that emanates from Pyongyang, lest it stop being silly and turn violent.
The main issue, of course, is North Korea's development and testing of nuclear weapons, which it has doing for some years, but has lately claimed to be developing bigger, better weapons (from Medium). Containing North Korea, or at least preventing them from starting a peninsular, and likely regional war with South Korea must be a top priority for a Chinese government that wants to show the world that it can project force and align others to its will as a leader.
Speaking of Pyongyang
Take a look at some of the first ever public pictures of Pyongyang's metro system (from EarthNutshell). This link is great, and you should absolutely check out these pictures!!!
I found the pictures fascinating. It seemed to be such an appropriate glimpse and the public splendor created by communist-esque society, and appropriately, a shiny veneer for a country that struggles to feed its people and provide opportunity.
Hello, Hodge!
Hello, Hodge! How ya doing, fella!? A bit young to be drinking, no? I guess dogs do age about 7x faster than humans, so maybe Hodge is of (dog) age. Hodge is new to the world, just a puppy, so he's more likely teething than boozing, but either way he's clearly loving it! Hodge was just adopted by his new human Marianne in Cincinnati. As you can see, she's already taking good care of him. Not every pup gets a chew toy, a cold one, and a nice warm blanket; Hodge is in for a happy life! Big thanks to Marianne for sharing Hodge!!
Will's Weekly Trivia!
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IF you choose to answer the question, respond to staton.will@gmail.com with your answer. Please note that by competing you are giving me permission to publish your first name in the trivia leader board each week.
TRIVIA!
Last Week:
1. "The point of war isn't to die for your country, it's to make the other poor bastard die for his," is a quote from which famous US general (hint WWII era)? TWO POINTS
2. Who was the last president to have been a GENERAL in the United States Army? ONE POINT
3. In which war did more Americans die than in any other? ONE POINT
4. President Obama will soon become the first sitting American president to visit one of the Japanese cities where America dropped an atomic weapon: Hiroshima. What was the other city? In addition to those bombings, America infamously firebombed a German city in WWII, that was later the topic of the book Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, which German city was firebombed? ONE POINT APIECE
Answer: 1. General George Patton gave us this great quote
2. Dwight "Ike" Eisenhower was the last President to have been a general.
3. More Americans were killed during the American Civil War than any other conflict. The whole Americans vs. Americans thing.
4. The second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, and the German city that was firebombed was Dresden.
This Week:
1. Who led the Chinese Communist Revolution and the Great Leap Forward? ONE POINT
2. Which US President was the first to visit Communist China, helping lead to a detente between the two nations? ONE POINT
3. The Chinese military is known as the PLA. What does the acronym stand for? ONE POINT
LEADER BOARD The race for first is tightening! Check your spot on the leader board HERE on Willful Intent.
