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There are countries, like most in the EU, or Canada, or NZ, or JP or South Korea who have their own self-interest but still contribute to the greater cause and
by pergadad 7y ago
There are countries, like most in the EU, or Canada, or NZ, or JP or South Korea who have their own self-interest but still contribute to the greater cause and global concerns. And there are countries like China and in recent years the US which only care for their own interests. Look just at trade and investment terms - the ones I listed first are very open, the latter totally set rules that prefer own players. The same in any geopolitical concern.
- FooBarWidget 7y agoI don't know how much of the claim that those countries are more "altruistic" than China is true. For the sake of argument, let's assume it is true. I ask you this: must a country be "altruistic"? Is it wrong for a country to look after its own interest? Clearly, if there interest conflicts with yours, then there is a problem -- but that is a problem regardless of whether they are normally altruistic. But as long as their interests don't conflict with yours, is it wrong to be "selfish" (or a more charitable interpretation: "to mind one's own business")? And even if a country helps another not for altruistic reasons, but because there is something to gain, then is there anything wrong with that? Isn't that also called a win-win? Donating and being altruistic is a neutral-win, but couldn't one argue that win-win deals are more sustainable?