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The problem is a lot can change if we going to give China nearly a century for political change. A lot of countries today are starting to look not to Western d
by vtange 9y ago
The problem is a lot can change if we going to give China nearly a century for political change.
A lot of countries today are starting to look not to Western democracies as examples/role models of success but to China. Even in existing democracies, it is not surprising that the recent populist/nationalist movements arguing for isolationism, economic-nationalism, increased government control stem out of a world where China is the shining beacon of consistent 5%+ economic growth.
By the time China should change, they might have already reshaped the world such that they don't need to change.
- tormeh 9y agoChange is not imposed from outside. It's just that increased wealth and trade in the end always results in increased liberalism, tolerance and freedom.
- Camillo 9y agoBut it doesn't. Even the US is moving away from liberalism. Consider the increasing restrictions on and fading support for freedom of speech, the most fundamental of liberal values.
- tormeh 9y agoYeah, that's the other side of the coin: Decreasing prosperity leads to decreasing liberalism, and in many US and EU regions prosperity is decreasing with predictable political consequences. The authoritarians of the day don't have a lot of supporters in NY, SF, London or Paris. It's the US flyover states and French mining towns that are turning away from liberalism.