02-20-2022, 07:36 AM
(02-19-2022, 12:51 PM)sbarrera Wrote: What I've read elsewhere is that the main difference between the American and Chinese approaches of global engagement is that the U.S. brings its ideological baggage along, whereas the Chinese just offer a deal too good to refuse. The U.S. has this Wilsonian "spreading liberal democracy" notion and every deal with the U.S. comes with strings attached regarding human rights and representative government, even to the point that we will enforce the rules at gunpoint, as in our recent wars of intervention. But China just comes in with cold hard cash and stays out of your affairs. Torture your own citizens all you want, we don't care, we'll still build you a port and roads that lead to it. In a sense, Trump was actually steering the U.S. into the same strategy, but unfortunately in the only way that an American could - as a grifter.
There is one additional difference, the Chinese negotiate tougher deals and are more ruthless in enforcing them. We'll see whether our "soft" imperialism is preferred to the Chinese practice of seizing the infrastructure they build and using in to generate even more wealth. To be frank about it, it's a close call.
Intelligence is not knowledge and knowledge is not wisdom, but they all play well together.