The title is a reference to Dream of the Red Chamber, one of the greatest novels ever written. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_of_the_Red_Chamber
Can you recommend an English translation?
Dreams of a Red Emperor: The Relentless Rise of Xi Jinping
21–30 of 248 posts
Re: Dreams of a Red Emperor: The Relentless Rise of Xi Jinping
#22So is China going to surpass America to become the world's #1 economy? Or are the predictions that China's growth will decline true? Some analysts think China's population is too old and that youth will peter out, whereas others think that all the CCP has to do is ask its millennials to have more babies. Some analysts think that democratic nations will band together and give China the cold shoulder. China could just…
China is huge and powerful and still growing rapidly. It's nominal GDP is $15tn, compared to $20tn for the USA. However it's GDP per capita is 1/6th that of the USA because it has 4x the population. Of course the west, or the developed democracies are much more than just the USA. Also while China is catching up in many areas, it is far behind in many of the ones that really count. China's military infrastructure and…
> It will take them another generation to catch up to the west in the ability to innovate in new technologies.
I think you are in for a rude awakening.
Re: Dreams of a Red Emperor: The Relentless Rise of Xi Jinping
#23So is China going to surpass America to become the world's #1 economy? Or are the predictions that China's growth will decline true? Some analysts think China's population is too old and that youth will peter out, whereas others think that all the CCP has to do is ask its millennials to have more babies. Some analysts think that democratic nations will band together and give China the cold shoulder. China could just…
The problem with the west is that it is largely leaderless. Actions happen due to some interest group getting their way. China on the other hand is very much lead. I think the west constantly bringing up Chinese demographic and other issues is just the west being lazy and ignoring reality. China is becoming unstoppable. Democratic nations banding together or building new supply chains are pipe dreams.
Could you or anybody elaborate on why you think the West (US) and China are that different in the big picture?
The way I see it: in China politics/policy are largely steered by big money (companies) + the emperor. The only difference I see with the West is that the emperor of the West is less powerful than Xi.
The "nice" thing about a totalitarian king/emperor/dictator is that improvements in prosperity come quickly. The disadvantage is that the fall also comes quickly (easy example: Mao).
Aren't the root issues as simple as that? I mean this is not exactly the first time in history that we saw "The West" V.S. dictatorships. It's also not the first time that we saw a powerful Chinese totalitarian regime make the country very wealthy and then poor again. To clarify: regarding that last sentence I'm talking about the past 2500 years or so.
Don't dictatorships by their nature come with massive corruption and eventual downfall. Or is that my - just world fallacy - talking?
Re: Dreams of a Red Emperor: The Relentless Rise of Xi Jinping
#24So is China going to surpass America to become the world's #1 economy? Or are the predictions that China's growth will decline true? Some analysts think China's population is too old and that youth will peter out, whereas others think that all the CCP has to do is ask its millennials to have more babies. Some analysts think that democratic nations will band together and give China the cold shoulder. China could just…
It has been nearly impossible to find objective analysis of China. Most sources are either soft propaganda or irrational jingoism. What are some good sources for a rational discussion about China's growing dominance?
I don't think it is currently possible, there is such a war-footing in the West even among the intelligentsia.
Best you can do is to read Chinese documents and try to squint through their own bias or to read academics who have spent extensive time in China recently (ie. past 5 years).
Re: Dreams of a Red Emperor: The Relentless Rise of Xi Jinping
#25Y'all need to stop seeing other countries through the lens of existential competition before it causes cold or hot wars and start cooperating internationally.
Re: Dreams of a Red Emperor: The Relentless Rise of Xi Jinping
#26So is China going to surpass America to become the world's #1 economy? Or are the predictions that China's growth will decline true? Some analysts think China's population is too old and that youth will peter out, whereas others think that all the CCP has to do is ask its millennials to have more babies. Some analysts think that democratic nations will band together and give China the cold shoulder. China could just…
The problem with the west is that it is largely leaderless. Actions happen due to some interest group getting their way. China on the other hand is very much lead. I think the west constantly bringing up Chinese demographic and other issues is just the west being lazy and ignoring reality. China is becoming unstoppable. Democratic nations banding together or building new supply chains are pipe dreams.
Heads of state can mess up. Heads of state don't get to tell other people how not to mess up. They can't pass laws saying they themselves can communicate perfectly or point everyone in the right direction or group the right people together. So they can't pass laws telling you how to communicate perfectly or assemble or perceive the world the right way. And that's not "shouldn't" or "won't", they can't. It's impossible. Might as well plan for the sun rising in the west or water running uphill.
Lost in the USA vs China debate are many international companies who are loyal only to themselves and have absolutely no awareness of geopolitical issues. And the capability is incredible, stronger than both combined. Best to leave them alone.
The best way is to be invisible. The cure for cancer always wins because it doesn't exist. That's what nature does, how it's undefeated since the start. If you are afraid of past mistakes or present problems, don't worry. The horror capable within future conflicts puts all of that to shame, such as war where we don't kill people but keep them alive, forever. Like that head transplant doctor, or what they are doing with genetics.
It's best not to dwell on such distractions. Nothing good can come from it.
Re: Dreams of a Red Emperor: The Relentless Rise of Xi Jinping
#27So is China going to surpass America to become the world's #1 economy? Or are the predictions that China's growth will decline true? Some analysts think China's population is too old and that youth will peter out, whereas others think that all the CCP has to do is ask its millennials to have more babies. Some analysts think that democratic nations will band together and give China the cold shoulder. China could just…
The problem with the west is that it is largely leaderless. Actions happen due to some interest group getting their way. China on the other hand is very much lead. I think the west constantly bringing up Chinese demographic and other issues is just the west being lazy and ignoring reality. China is becoming unstoppable. Democratic nations banding together or building new supply chains are pipe dreams.
Even more precisely the vast majority of Chinese people are unified. They are patriots who think China is the best country ever and all the rest are just jealous of their success. Downvote me if you want, but that’s certainly the look that CCP is happy to push.
Comparatively the People of the West are divided. Not just the US but also Europe. They are divided not just by politics, but also by their world view, and few have anything good to say about their home countries.
This right here is the biggest wedge China can exploit. If they move as one while the West gets mired in debates then China will win.
Re: Dreams of a Red Emperor: The Relentless Rise of Xi Jinping
#28So is China going to surpass America to become the world's #1 economy? Or are the predictions that China's growth will decline true? Some analysts think China's population is too old and that youth will peter out, whereas others think that all the CCP has to do is ask its millennials to have more babies. Some analysts think that democratic nations will band together and give China the cold shoulder. China could just…
> China could just as easily form alliances.
Can you please elaborate? I find this to be an Achilles heal for China. If there is a bipolar world with US on one side and China leading the other, who do you think will ally with China? I can see Russia, Iran and North Korea but not really anyone else.
In the US camp, I see Western Europe + NATO countries, Australia, NZ, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, India and Israel. Do you think China can match that alliance?
Re: Dreams of a Red Emperor: The Relentless Rise of Xi Jinping
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
The problem with the west is that it is largely leaderless. Actions happen due to some interest group getting their way. China on the other hand is very much lead. I think the west constantly bringing up Chinese demographic and other issues is just the west being lazy and ignoring reality. China is becoming unstoppable. Democratic nations banding together or building new supply chains are pipe dreams.
Could you or anybody elaborate on why you think the West (US) and China are that different in the big picture? The way I see it: in China politics/policy are largely steered by big money (companies) + the emperor. The only difference I see with the West is that the emperor of the West is less powerful than Xi. The "nice" thing about a totalitarian king/emperor/dictator is that improvements in prosperity come quickly.…
> Aren't the root issues as simple as that?
Not at all. The '"nice" thing about a totalitarian king/emperor/dictator is that improvements in prosperity come quickly' has historically almost never been the case.
It is actually quite anomalous for a non-democracy to see these sorts of quality of life improvements.
> easy example: Mao
Mao is not such an easy example, given that there is a continuity of government from Mao to today.
> also not the first time that we saw a powerful Chinese totalitarian regime make the country very wealthy and then unwealthy again.
??? No past Chinese regime has the numbers that the modern CCP is getting. Just look at the number in China in absolute poverty over the last 100 years.
Honestly, your comment seems remarkably ill-informed.
Re: Dreams of a Red Emperor: The Relentless Rise of Xi Jinping
#30Y'all need to stop seeing other countries through the lens of existential competition before it causes cold or hot wars and start cooperating internationally.
You need a little more realpolitik in your life. Nations are absolutely competing with each other because we live in a world of limited resources. Recognizing this fact and wanting your nation to come out on top are very normal.