4 ms·

This is a lot to take in, especially not coming from any related discipline background. Since I dont have the prerequisite background, I can only ask questions

by eezurr 7y ago

This is a lot to take in, especially not coming from any related discipline background. Since I dont have the prerequisite background, I can only ask questions. I also believe that there are not right answers. Every decision benefits someone at the expense of someone else. 1. This article does not cover the positive sides of an "exchange value" economy. Isn't this type of economy responsible for bringing once 3rd world countries out of poverty? 2. Side note: I think the choice being made here is environment vs present suffering. For every person in a 3rd country on its way to 1st world, they need a fridge, fresh water, oven, more space (thus transportation beyond walking/biking), safety codes (more materials), etc. The environmental impact on providing these modern facilities must be huge, no? 3. If a national-level economy values "exchanging value", wouldn't that culture prioritize making their lives better? Better is subjective, and alludes to the rat race, but at least in the USA, if you're okay not living in the coastal areas, you can live very comfortably for cheap. 4. The international balance of power. If one country focuses on "exchanging value" thus enriching themselves, wouldn't that give that country a lot of international leverage? I personally believe we've had (generally) global peace for so long because there's been only one super power in the world for that time period (the USA). If we shrunk our economy (based on your 4 possible options), how would that impact the military budget? I personally think if there are multiple competing super powers, then war is more likely to happen

lonelappde 7y ago
Is China not a super power? Europe?
- dntbnmpls 7y ago
  > Is China not a super power? No. They are a regional power at best. > Europe? Given the number of US bases in Europe, I'd says no. A superpower by definition wouldn't need other countries defending it.
  - lm28469 7y ago
    If China isn't a superpower I don't know who is. Either 2nd or 3rd by gdp [0], literally building the vast majority of the world tech, leading in renewable energy [1], largest army in the world, in the top 3 of military strength ranking [2]. Economically invading Europe [3]. Playing the smart game in Africa [4], and the list goes on and on. If anything the US is on the way down while china is on their way up, seeing it from the outside it looks like the US is slowly rotting away and getting soft while china is aggressively expanding and starting to set their own conditions. The thing is that China hasn't peaked yet while the US arguably peaked in the 90s. Don't get me wrong, China is very far from being a nice place, but they know what they're doing. > Given the number of US bases in Europe, I'd says no. A superpower by definition wouldn't need other countries defending it. It's more like the US are happy to have a presence in Europe than the other way around. These are leftovers of ww2 and aren't for defense anymore, as it turns out it's very convenient to have presence in europe when you want to go lose a war or two in the middle east. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nomi... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_China https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_China [2] https://www.globalfirepower.com/countries-listing.asp https://www.globalfirepower.com/countries-listing.asp [3] https://www.npr.org/2018/10/09/642587456/chinese-firms-now-hold-stakes-in-over-a-dozen-european-ports https://www.npr.org/2018/10/09/642587456/chinese-firms-now-h... [4] https://qz.com/1550626/chinas-investment-will-allow-africa-to-lead-the-22nd-century/ https://qz.com/1550626/chinas-investment-will-allow-africa-t...
    - chiph 7y ago
      China is almost a superpower. They have the beginnings of a blue-water navy, which a primary requirement for projecting force beyond your borders. So far as economics, they are indeed very powerful because they became the low-cost manufacturing center of the world. As seen in the past, those jobs can easily leave a nation for another country/region when it becomes cheaper. As their standard of living increases, this is more and more likely to happen. > These are leftovers of ww2 and aren't for defense anymore Ask the residents of Estonia (a NATO member) if they'd like to return to living under the Soviets.
    - dntbnmpls 7y ago
- im3w1l 7y ago
  China is on the path to become a super power, maybe you could say they are already there. But they haven't seriously started flexing yet.
- vharuck 7y ago
  They are superpowers, but the US is a hyperpower. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperpower https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperpower
  - NotSammyHagar 7y ago
    I think it's only likely the US has been losing power past few years. Our long-term potential for the US economy should have been reduced by our lifespans reducing educational and infrastructure spending reducing centralizing wealth in the wealthy, more in the 0.1%.

by eezurr 7y ago

lonelappde 7y ago

Is China not a super power? Europe?

dntbnmpls 7y ago
> Is China not a super power? No. They are a regional power at best. > Europe? Given the number of US bases in Europe, I'd says no. A superpower by definition wouldn't need other countries defending it.
- lm28469 7y ago
  If China isn't a superpower I don't know who is. Either 2nd or 3rd by gdp [0], literally building the vast majority of the world tech, leading in renewable energy [1], largest army in the world, in the top 3 of military strength ranking [2]. Economically invading Europe [3]. Playing the smart game in Africa [4], and the list goes on and on. If anything the US is on the way down while china is on their way up, seeing it from the outside it looks like the US is slowly rotting away and getting soft while china is aggressively expanding and starting to set their own conditions. The thing is that China hasn't peaked yet while the US arguably peaked in the 90s. Don't get me wrong, China is very far from being a nice place, but they know what they're doing. > Given the number of US bases in Europe, I'd says no. A superpower by definition wouldn't need other countries defending it. It's more like the US are happy to have a presence in Europe than the other way around. These are leftovers of ww2 and aren't for defense anymore, as it turns out it's very convenient to have presence in europe when you want to go lose a war or two in the middle east. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nomi... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_China https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_China [2] https://www.globalfirepower.com/countries-listing.asp https://www.globalfirepower.com/countries-listing.asp [3] https://www.npr.org/2018/10/09/642587456/chinese-firms-now-hold-stakes-in-over-a-dozen-european-ports https://www.npr.org/2018/10/09/642587456/chinese-firms-now-h... [4] https://qz.com/1550626/chinas-investment-will-allow-africa-to-lead-the-22nd-century/ https://qz.com/1550626/chinas-investment-will-allow-africa-t...
  - chiph 7y ago
    China is almost a superpower. They have the beginnings of a blue-water navy, which a primary requirement for projecting force beyond your borders. So far as economics, they are indeed very powerful because they became the low-cost manufacturing center of the world. As seen in the past, those jobs can easily leave a nation for another country/region when it becomes cheaper. As their standard of living increases, this is more and more likely to happen. > These are leftovers of ww2 and aren't for defense anymore Ask the residents of Estonia (a NATO member) if they'd like to return to living under the Soviets.
  - dntbnmpls 7y ago
im3w1l 7y ago
China is on the path to become a super power, maybe you could say they are already there. But they haven't seriously started flexing yet.
vharuck 7y ago
They are superpowers, but the US is a hyperpower. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperpower https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperpower
- NotSammyHagar 7y ago
  I think it's only likely the US has been losing power past few years. Our long-term potential for the US economy should have been reduced by our lifespans reducing educational and infrastructure spending reducing centralizing wealth in the wealthy, more in the 0.1%.