[yters]

You think other nations actually buy into peaceful globalism? Everyone is just looking for an opportunity to be the next global superpower and rule the world, and only play nice-nice insofar as it furthers this goal. Global trade certainly does not guarantee global peace. We had global trade before WW1 and WW2, and it did nothing to stop the most horrific wars ever seen in history.

[dang]

We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18450681 and marked it off-topic.

[yters]

Can you explain why it is off topic? It appears China is building up its military might through the use of Western educational system.

[ryanmonroe]

> You think other nations actually buy into peaceful globalism?

I hope you didn't use the word "other" to imply the US has a policy of "peaceful globalism". That would be wrong.

[yters]

I certainly don't believe the US has such a policy. So, it surprises me when people think other countries have such a policy. Never has such a thing happened in the history of the world.

[dis-sys]

learn history. China was a textbook quality isolationist when it was the biggest economy in the world. it doesn't have any peaceful globalism policy because trading with the rest of the world was simply banned.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haijin

[yters]

You act like China has always been a monolithic entity.

[sonnyblarney]

"Everyone" not remotely everyone.

[yters]

No one wants to get killed or suffer during war, but everyone wants to be the boss.

[sonnyblarney]

Not only do most people not want to be boss, most nations aren't trying to take over the world.

One interesting thing: since most nations are tiny, and they are so utterly dependent on playing ninjitsu against others because they have no hard power ... the though doesn't occur to them. It becomes part of the national identity.

Canada->US Scotland->England Nordics (i.e. Norwegian)->Germany/France

We're a little bit more meek (for better or worse) by default, not just in geopolitics, but culturally as well.

[yters]

Right, but there is always someone trying to take over, and without resistance on the part of peacelovers, they succeed.

[sonnyblarney]

Sadly it's not the peace-lovers that keep the peace.

Peace is kept through a balance of power.

[stretchwithme]

Every tyrant and would-be tyrant.

[yters]

I'd say that's pretty much everyone.

[stretchwithme]

Is that how you see yourself? Do you want to be a tyrant?

[yters]

Not especially, but it appears to be a common trait, especially higher up in power you go.