World is Falling Apart Thread (Locked forever)

[Ivo]

I think it would be great if we minded our own business as a country. If half the money that goes into these wars was put into our economy in a capacity to improve society we could solve a lot of problems.

It always seems to happen right around election time too. It's hard to believe that is a coincidence.

I'm far from an expert myself but I think you should consider that significant parts of the economy of the U.S. are connected very intricately into NOT minding your own business (which after you think about it, is why meddling in foreign affairs is precisely minding your own *business*). There is a significant armed forces which keeps a lot of people employed and earning wages - directly, the soldiers and so on, and indirectly, the companies that provide uniforms, equipment, and of course, weaponry.

Then you can go into how meddling in foreign affairs is often a way for the U.S. to secure or stabilize the supplies and prices of important natural resources like ores or the very important oil, on which the national and international economy depend on a lot.

[Erik_Twice]

I think it would be great if we minded our own business as a country. If half the money that goes into these wars was put into our economy in a capacity to improve society we could solve a lot of problems.

The thing is, the economy of the United States depends very heavily on the strenght of the dollar and the reason the dollar matters so much is because the US uses its military power to force oil trades to be based on it. And the economic deals with Korea, Israel, Japan and even Europe clearly come as payment for defense.

Even if it is, and we are trying to demonstrate that we are still to be taken seriously it is a hard point to prove when we struggle so badly with something as small as this ISIS situation.

I don't think the ISIS situation is small at all. I think it's part of the constant warring that has been in the Middle East since the British Empire, if not earlier.

[prfsnl_gmr]

...and the reason the dollar matters so much is because the US uses its military power to force oil trades to be based on it.

I don't think that this is correct...A good explanation as to why the dollar remains the world's reserve currency is available here.

[Pulsar_t]

I was listening to an interview with Sally Quinn on C-Span, interesting what she had to say on the Dalai Lama, and I guess by extension you can apply her arguments to artists like Ai Weiwei and the western fixation on certain individuals and causes.

He is a very gentle, sweet man. I think he would be happier somewhere meditating in a cave. I worry sometimes he is asked -- he is exploited having to do this fight for tobacco. There is no more to do. That is over. -- there is no more Tibet. He sits out and talk to people and his difficult to understand. Most people do not understand what he is saying. His message is wonderful, love and peace. I still feel he is being used and people not only use him but he used for their own benefit. I'm not particularly moved by that.

Agree? Disagree? Here's the full interview http://www.c-span.org/video/?321568-1/qa-sally-quinn

[Ack]

I was listening to an interview with Sally Quinn on C-Span, interesting what she had to say on the Dalai Lama, and I guess by extension you can apply her arguments to artists like Ai Weiwei and the western fixation on certain individuals and causes.

He is a very gentle, sweet man. I think he would be happier somewhere meditating in a cave. I worry sometimes he is asked -- he is exploited having to do this fight for tobacco. There is no more to do. That is over. -- there is no more Tibet. He sits out and talk to people and his difficult to understand. Most people do not understand what he is saying. His message is wonderful, love and peace. I still feel he is being used and people not only use him but he used for their own benefit. I'm not particularly moved by that.

Agree? Disagree? Here's the full interview http://www.c-span.org/video/?321568-1/qa-sally-quinn

It's an interesting interview. I've also seen it argued that the Dalai Lama is in fact advocating a removal of the oppressive Chinese in favor of an oppressive Buddhist religious regime which will simply continue to exploit the native population.

[ZeroAX]

http://www.economist.com/blogs/analects ... hinaleader

I wish the best for the people of Hong Kong, but I really don't see this ending well for them

[Ack]

I wish the best for the people of Hong Kong, but I really don't see this ending well for them

Maybe. Hong Kong is such a strange situation for China, and the Beijing leadership just doesn't know what to do with it.

C.P. Fitzgerald wrote a lot of works on China, but one theme he pointed out in any successful Chinese revolution, two groups had to unite and accept the revolutionary ideals: teachers and peasants. Any attempt at revolution where only one or neither of these two groups decided to join in has inevitably failed throughout Chinese history, but revolutions where both of these two groups joined together led to inevitable regime change.

Eventually the Chinese Communist Party will falter and fail. That is an inevitability, just as every power fails eventually. The questions are when and what will replace it?

[ZeroAX]

Eventually the Chinese Communist Party will falter and fail. That is an inevitability, just as every power fails eventually. The questions are when and what will replace it?

Hm...well yes, even the Roman Empire fell, but the question is how long. The thing is I can see the communist party surviving for three reasons:

1) It has delivered on the economy, and it has delivered amazingly well. As history has shown us, people are willing to put up with a lot as long as they feel their quality of life is getting better (see Germany in WW2, Russia and Turkey today, or heck I'd even add my country both pre and post economic crisis.

2) Chinese nationalists have legitimate fights to pick on the west. On the one hand the west's major ally refuses to accept any responsibilities of the crimes it committed against China during the first half of the previous century, and on the other hand the west really is feeling uncomfortable with treating it as a rising super power which means it should get a heavier say in world matters (which though would also mean a heavier burden for world security, trade ect.). As many historians have said it resembles the situation with Germany pre-WW1 where France and Britain really didn't want to accept a 3rd super power in Europe.

3) (and this is the most admirable part) for all its faults and violations of human rights, the communist party has been constantly evolving and adapting. It changes economic policy fast to spur growth (unlike the super slow movements of the soviet union), it tries to use soft power abroad where it can (see investments in Africa), and it tries to fight corruption inside the party (of course this also probably involves cleansing opponent factions inside the party).

So I think China will much more likely involve into a more liberal system way before the communist party collapses....but it has to be brought into western institutions for that to happen. China is neither Russia, India or Brazil. it's the one BRIC that is REALLY here to stay.

[Pulsar_t]

Good points, but why did Britain give up HK in the first place? Must read up on that..



This guy is a big fat hypocrite. His regime funneled insurgents and all manners of nasty elements across the border into Iraq for years, not to mention keeping a "cache" of extremists that were unleashed as soon as the Syrian uprising gained momentum. Humanity is better off with this regime uprooted.

[ZeroAX]

Good points, but why did Britain give up HK in the first place? Must read up on that..



This guy is a big fat hypocrite. His regime funneled insurgents and all manners of nasty elements across the border into Iraq for years, not to mention keeping a "cache" of extremists that were unleashed as soon as the Syrian uprising gained momentum. Humanity is better off with this regime uprooted.

I really should, though I can hazard a guess (which I won't in case I'm totally wrong )

Who is this guy?