Very good point. Another perspective that shapes China is its long term view of things. If you take a hard, LONG look at China's history, it's shaped by the pea

Very good point. Another perspective that shapes China is its long term view of things. If you take a hard, LONG look at China's history, it's shaped by the peasant class. The dynastic cycles have been the result of peasant uprisings, so while everyone in the West likes to focus on the developing cities, hot technologies, etc, it's really how well the peasant class does that will shape China.