Too often this discussion falls into the oft-repeated tropes about how a evil west is “containing” China (he same claims historically were made by Germany, Russ

Too often this discussion falls into the oft-repeated tropes about how a evil west is “containing” China (he same claims historically were made by Germany, Russia and Japan in 1913, 1917 and 1933 respectively). Or the claims that the West just wants to keep China down, and it’s China’s duty to grow because racism of west/ greed of Japan / lebensr .. cough... (I mean, one China policy). While most of the comments here are focused on the economic elements of china’s rise - the political implications here are what are really scary to me. China is basically a totalitarian state with a capitalist escape valve. Moral and social decisions are made by a strong central state, and while corporations toe the party line, they are free to do what they want, and the government will pour money into them. The authors seem to think this is a new phenomena, but historically that’s not too far off from how many totalitarian states worked - most notably the NSDAP. The NSDAP led a resurgence in German manfuacturing by backing their corporations, and corporations embraced the kultur promoted by the party. People prospered, and were free to act in their economic self-interest as long as they toed the party line. The Chinese have developed something that the previous states never had - technology that supresses dissenting voices. The levers and restrictions that they can deploy at will are so much greater now then various fascist and communist governments enjoyed in the past. Let’s say that someone in the government decides that the South China Sea is worth killing over. Any voice of dissent in China will be shut down via the “Social Score” and it’s built in ability to marginalize people who act in a way inconsistent with the state. China will claim that this is preferable to the infighting that is rocking the western world. Historically Liberal Democracies have proven that untrue, but it feels like Liberalism itself is under threat.