[tablespoon]

> Basic Orwell 101: Eternal war is a prerequisite for totalitarian rule.

I like Orwell, but people schematize real things into his examples too much, especially 1984. It's better to pay attention to the real thing as it is.

For instance, I think it's a serious possibility that China will mainly use economic power to expand its empire, by using markets to foster dependency in ways you can't really do if you've swallowed free market propaganda and your main motive is profit. The end goal could be something like China at the center of the world, with its ideology and system having prestige and setting the standard, surrounded by clearly-subordinate tributaries. That'd be great if your main ideological commitment is to Chinese nationalism, but not so great if you care about anything else.

[secondaryacct]

You probably transfer a lot of your own behaviour to us. Im not saying you're entirely wrong but look how many people in this article alone agreed to be quoted by an american newspaper to bemoan a gov initiative.

China gives you the illusion it can target its people toward enemies, but the truth is we dont care all that much to "expand an empire". We'd do the minimum if forced, as always.

If we could first make Hong Kong happy, that'd be a good first step :D

[totony]

To be fair, you're describing the USA over the past century

[tablespoon]

> To be fair, you're describing the USA over the past century

Then the question is: what are your commitments and which empire is closer to them?

Also, it's not exactly the US, since the US has a different underlying ideology, and US's commitment to free markets was successfully exploited by the Chinese in a way I don't think they'll be dumb enough to repeat.

[astrea]

I know you meant this as nothing more than a dig at the US (yawn), but if anything that lends credence to his argument. They've seen the playbook and they're gonna try their hand at it now. If they're successful, then it becomes yet another chapter in the book on the rise and fall of empires that my grandson will write a high school essay on.