4 ms·

To the people who are arguing some variation of "Colonialism is actually a net GOOD for the colonized people!!"[1], I'd like to point out that this us NOT reall

To the people who are arguing some variation of "Colonialism is actually a net GOOD for the colonized people!!"[1], I'd like to point out that this us NOT really an example of the "economic West" [2] colonizing China. Rather, it is the Chinese government allowing their workers to be exploited, with the complicity of the West. The Chinese government hopes to gain technological and economic parity or superiority to the economic West, all at the cost to the likes of Xu Lizhi. Cheap goods and labor are the bait offered to the West. Western consumers are happy to lose their jobs over time in exchange for cheap goods. Western industrialists are happy to gain short term profits at the expense of long term decline. Western governments are happy to allow poor policy that allows this to happen because the industrialists have the best lobbyists. Clearly there are more players in this game than just "Western consumers" and "Chinese factory workers". It's wrong to put the burden of responsibility just on the consumers. Policy played a big role in getting us into this mess. Policy will need to play a role in getting us out. [1] No one actually said the word "colonialism", but it's a parallel argument heard countless times before. [2] "Western" is not quite the right word because there are Eastern nations that are aligned with this economic bloc as well.

sudosysgen 5y ago
Have you ever considered the alternative to "allowing your workers to be exploited"? Should China have gone the way of Africa instead? Would that have led to better outcomes for the Chinese people? There is nothing better that can be done if you are already a victim of colonialism initially.
- comfysocks 5y ago
  I was not trying to make any comment on what China should or should not do. Clearly, they are doing what their leaders consider to be best for themselves in the long run. Rather, I was commenting on what I consider to be unrealistic views on China in the US.

sudosysgen 5y ago

Have you ever considered the alternative to "allowing your workers to be exploited"? Should China have gone the way of Africa instead? Would that have led to better outcomes for the Chinese people? There is nothing better that can be done if you are already a victim of colonialism initially.

comfysocks 5y ago
I was not trying to make any comment on what China should or should not do. Clearly, they are doing what their leaders consider to be best for themselves in the long run. Rather, I was commenting on what I consider to be unrealistic views on China in the US.