CV-18 Fujian/003 CATOBAR carrier thread
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
Has there any thought to that China might not even want to be a hegemon? Western doctrine might suggest a hegemon might be the ultimate goal of a successful nation but then there is also a different cultural value and aspect to this when it comes to Eastern doctrines. Just as Westerners value diamonds by it's perfection, East Asians value jade for it's imperfections.
The fact that China says it doesn't want to be a hegemon and the painful fact that being a hegemon is now ( but only since forty or so years ) more expensive to the US than profitable cannot be valid arguments for Western ideologues to believe that China doesn't want to be hegemon.
Not really true. Being the global hegemon substantially enlarged the US economy by allowing her to introduce and sustain a global economic order that greatly enlarged world economy. America's history as a effective and hegemon also gives her an remarkable and remarkably secure ability to exert influence in global events now substantially above her current weight.
vesicles
Colonel
I'm not so sure about that. The competitive nature is shared among all people, including the Chinese. I mean, China didn't get this huge because they are shy. And China has not developed with such cutthroat speed because they settle for being the second best. In sports, economics, science, etc, the Chinese are constantly striving to be the best. Even though they still have a long way to go, I don't think they would settle for being number two.
Just look at all the things that they are doing, like the latest Belt and Road initiative, that's not something done by someone who is happy to be number two...
As I have mentioned before, it is almost impossible to stop a nation the size of China and the US from developing into superpowers, because of their size, population, geopolitical postion and resources. The only question is whether China and the US are willing to share power. If they are, we will enter a new era of true multipolar international democracy. If they are not, we will be in deep deep trouble. The end-of-the-world kind of trouble...
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The British empire was number one during most of the 19th century but was not the hegemon US became after 1945. China will become number one in a much further developed World and will be even further from being hegemon than the British empire was.
Equation
Lieutenant General
I don't know dude, the British were known for their brutal colonization all over the globe.
True, and at some time they owned a quarter of the land surface of the World, but they didn't pretend that other countries should need British approval for their governments.I don't know dude, the British were known for their brutal colonization all over the globe.
vesicles
Colonel
Technologies in the 19th century did not allow the UK to gain such widespread and tight control of the world as the modern era hegemons. Also, you can't deny that they have tried. The British didn't become the empire on which the sun never sets so that they could share their power and wealth with someone else.
Britain may have had near hegemony during the 19th century everywhere on the globe except in Europe. And colonial empires were important to national wealth and strength. But make no mistakes, the center of world industry, technology and commerce was in Europe in the 19th century. The only truly serious threat to British world power also could only come from Europe at that time. Yet Britain did not enjoy a truly hegemonic position in Europe. She was influential but not truly dominant power in Europe. In fact even at the peak of her power, Britain's position in Europe was weaker than the position America enjoyed today in Europe, and weaker than the position America enjoy in Asia today.
So even in her much declined state today, America is a more dominant power in parts of the world that truly matters now, than Britain ever was in parts of the world that truly mattered then.
So even in her much declined state today, America is a more dominant power in parts of the world that truly matters now, than Britain ever was in parts of the world that truly mattered then.