When will the Americans realise the fallacy of hoping to radically transform societies through democracy, capitalism and prosperity? It seems that any time a writer identifies a problem but can’t provide a clear solution, they turn to this mantra.
It didn’t work in post-Soviet Russia, didn’t work in Iraq & Afghanistan, didn’t work with China when it joined WTO, how can anyone think that this ” “grand bargain” would settle the intersection of historical grievances and fears over status and security”. What supportive evidence is there, apart from wishful thinking.
The problem is that nobody can define ‘democracy’ succesfully. It is immediately open to question of its validity.
The democracy in the US at the moment means that a lot of rich people try to tell a lot of poor people what is good for them. That works for a while. Those richer, middle-class intellectuals develop theories which are obviously correct in their eyes. The theories become mantras and can’t be questioned.
If the poorer, less well-educated people object, they are said to be ‘thick’ or not capable of understanding. The Brexit vote shows this clearly. The middle-class views in London were overwhelmed when real people decided to vote for once.
In the US you have Democracy 1, the Trump version, which means that the poorer people start to vote – democracy means you, yes you. Then you have Democracy 2, the rich do-gooders who want to tell everybody else what to say and think.
Which do you prefer? I know what I think.
The simple answer is: if they don’t emulate the West, they stay poor and corrupt, run by idiots like Putin and Xi.
Which in turn insures that the US and Europe always stay on top.
Agreed, however, no need to change any nation’s system by force. If they wish to stay that way, fine.
Just don’t try and change states that really do want to emulate the West.
When you say “emulate”, do you mean attack, loot and undermine the rest of the world (once they try to pick up the pieces from the last “civilizing mission”)?
The west didn’t get rich through democracy and capitalism, it got rich by plundering the world for centuries and then justifying that by way of good old racism (back in the day) and “democracy & freedom” nowadays, while using the advantages of having stolen so much of the worlds riches to create a barrier to states who might want to try to join the club of prosperity (with some rare exceptions) – as is often seen with something like the so-called “resource curse”.
The West is certainly still on top and will likely stay there for most of our lifetimes, but everything has an end and I suspect this is the beginning of the American empires decline. Unfortunately for those of us living in Europe, continuously clinging to Americas coattails will likely mean we will be the first to experience the consequences (aside from their Asian vassals perhaps).
Indeed, the US conquest of Japan, Taiwan and South Korea left them desperately poor, and dependent on the US. Their governing classes are but puppets for the Washington puppet-masters.
If only they were free and independent, like Zimbabwe!
Indeed, the US conquest of Japan, Taiwan and South Korea left them desperately poor, and dependent on the US. Their governing classes are but puppets for the Washington puppet-masters.
If only they were free and independent, like Zimbabwe!
When you say “emulate”, do you mean attack, loot and undermine the rest of the world (once they try to pick up the pieces from the last “civilizing mission”)?
The west didn’t get rich through democracy and capitalism, it got rich by plundering the world for centuries and then justifying that by way of good old racism (back in the day) and “democracy & freedom” nowadays, while using the advantages of having stolen so much of the worlds riches to create a barrier to states who might want to try to join the club of prosperity (with some rare exceptions) – as is often seen with something like the so-called “resource curse”.
The West is certainly still on top and will likely stay there for most of our lifetimes, but everything has an end and I suspect this is the beginning of the American empires decline. Unfortunately for those of us living in Europe, continuously clinging to Americas coattails will likely mean we will be the first to experience the consequences (aside from their Asian vassals perhaps).
Panayiotis, Russia and China didn’t turn democratic precisely because the pressure from the U.S. was soft and inconsistent, and they only got the carrot but never the stick. Very different from Germany and Japan who first suffered defeating blows and only then got wholehearted assistance from the U.S.
Don’t wanna be a bad prophet but it looks like Putin’s Russia won’t stop until it finally suffers a defeating blow. So here we go.
The problem is that nobody can define ‘democracy’ succesfully. It is immediately open to question of its validity.
The democracy in the US at the moment means that a lot of rich people try to tell a lot of poor people what is good for them. That works for a while. Those richer, middle-class intellectuals develop theories which are obviously correct in their eyes. The theories become mantras and can’t be questioned.
If the poorer, less well-educated people object, they are said to be ‘thick’ or not capable of understanding. The Brexit vote shows this clearly. The middle-class views in London were overwhelmed when real people decided to vote for once.
In the US you have Democracy 1, the Trump version, which means that the poorer people start to vote – democracy means you, yes you. Then you have Democracy 2, the rich do-gooders who want to tell everybody else what to say and think.
Which do you prefer? I know what I think.
The simple answer is: if they don’t emulate the West, they stay poor and corrupt, run by idiots like Putin and Xi.
Which in turn insures that the US and Europe always stay on top.
Agreed, however, no need to change any nation’s system by force. If they wish to stay that way, fine.
Just don’t try and change states that really do want to emulate the West.
Panayiotis, Russia and China didn’t turn democratic precisely because the pressure from the U.S. was soft and inconsistent, and they only got the carrot but never the stick. Very different from Germany and Japan who first suffered defeating blows and only then got wholehearted assistance from the U.S.
Don’t wanna be a bad prophet but it looks like Putin’s Russia won’t stop until it finally suffers a defeating blow. So here we go.
Panagiotis Papanikolaou
1 year ago
When will the Americans realise the fallacy of hoping to radically transform societies through democracy, capitalism and prosperity? It seems that any time a writer identifies a problem but can’t provide a clear solution, they turn to this mantra.
It didn’t work in post-Soviet Russia, didn’t work in Iraq & Afghanistan, didn’t work with China when it joined WTO, how can anyone think that this ” “grand bargain” would settle the intersection of historical grievances and fears over status and security”. What supportive evidence is there, apart from wishful thinking.
Steve White
1 year ago
Translation: If you don’t agree with the author that US global economic and military hegemony are in decline as it’s culture, institutions and political class is in decline, then you’re a Chinese or Russian propagandist.
The fact is that the one thing that is different in regards to the peace in the middle east that is breaking out is that the US has been completely cut out of all of it. There is a sort of global Spring in the air optimism breaking out.
We have one side that uses threats and sanctions to push an anti-human: transhuman, abortion, radical environmentalism onto the world, and if you don’t agree we will make sure that NGOs empower a radical class to take over your country and make you more useful to our agenda. Then on the other side countries get offered respect for their sovereignty, trade and infrastructure. It’s not hard to see how most of the rest of the world isn’t excited to escape the thuggish warlike cult.
Now, you could argue that China and Russia can’t be trusted. You might have some good arguments there, but as of now it appears that the world is being offered something more attractive than the anti-human cult of power that America now pushes.
It will hopefully all end with a new American President. Otherwise the whole West is doomed. Once the US concentrates on becoming energy independent again, puts an end to some of the cultish movements, clean out their corrupt institutions, there might be some hope, that Europe will stop this nonsense too, otherwise Europe will just become a museum for tourists.
It seems like it happened overnight but in reality it’s developed at a rapid pace since the 60’s. It will take years to undo all the harm. That said, the dems have hijacked the voting procedures in the most important states so it may be that no republican will ever win the White House again.
I would venture and say that the damage started back with at least FDR. That said I trust on one hand the American spirit and on the other hand the sheer arrogance and hysteria of the American left so there still hope.
I would venture and say that the damage started back with at least FDR. That said I trust on one hand the American spirit and on the other hand the sheer arrogance and hysteria of the American left so there still hope.
It seems like it happened overnight but in reality it’s developed at a rapid pace since the 60’s. It will take years to undo all the harm. That said, the dems have hijacked the voting procedures in the most important states so it may be that no republican will ever win the White House again.
It will hopefully all end with a new American President. Otherwise the whole West is doomed. Once the US concentrates on becoming energy independent again, puts an end to some of the cultish movements, clean out their corrupt institutions, there might be some hope, that Europe will stop this nonsense too, otherwise Europe will just become a museum for tourists.
Steve White
1 year ago
Translation: If you don’t agree with the author that US global economic and military hegemony are in decline as it’s culture, institutions and political class is in decline, then you’re a Chinese or Russian propagandist.
The fact is that the one thing that is different in regards to the peace in the middle east that is breaking out is that the US has been completely cut out of all of it. There is a sort of global Spring in the air optimism breaking out.
We have one side that uses threats and sanctions to push an anti-human: transhuman, abortion, radical environmentalism onto the world, and if you don’t agree we will make sure that NGOs empower a radical class to take over your country and make you more useful to our agenda. Then on the other side countries get offered respect for their sovereignty, trade and infrastructure. It’s not hard to see how most of the rest of the world isn’t excited to escape the thuggish warlike cult.
Now, you could argue that China and Russia can’t be trusted. You might have some good arguments there, but as of now it appears that the world is being offered something more attractive than the anti-human cult of power that America now pushes.
Last edited 1 year ago by Steve White
Susan Grabston
1 year ago
Oh I think the Americans are fairly barbaric in their own right. Kissinger had it right about friendship with Uncle Sam.
Aren’t we all? The whole world. Each country seeks for itself and that is usually not pretty but the little cooperation that is attained must continually be strived for- no matter how “barbaric” we all are.
Aren’t we all? The whole world. Each country seeks for itself and that is usually not pretty but the little cooperation that is attained must continually be strived for- no matter how “barbaric” we all are.
Susan Grabston
1 year ago
Oh I think the Americans are fairly barbaric in their own right. Kissinger had it right about friendship with Uncle Sam.
Last edited 1 year ago by Susan Grabston
Arthur G
1 year ago
The issue is not the USA vs China and Russia. The issue is can the free nations of the world stand together vs. the emerging authoritarian states. If you take the US, NATO/EU, and our Pacific Allies (Japan, S. Korea, ANZACS, Taiwan, Singapore) we represent 50% of the worlds GDP, 80% of the world’s naval power, and 90% of the actually free nations. If we stand together, Chinese and Russian power looks pathetic, even if the rest of the BRICS throw in with them. Only by dividing the free world can the authoritarians prevail.
The only reason that the EU is not an equal partner with the US is that Europe has be loathe to spend seriously on their military, or anger Russia and China, for economic reasons. Hopefully the Ukraine War has cured this naivete. Japan also seems ready to become the leader of the free world in Asia.
The democracies need to become a three pillared alliance 1) US/Canada, 2) European NATO/EU, 3) Pacific allies. If India has any sense, they’ll join the other democracies of Asia in opposing China. There’s no reason the US needs to be more than one leg of this stool.
We aren’t free you clown, we’re under increasingly authoritarian globalist liberalism that despises the real history, culture, traditions and native peoples of the West.
India is not going to go against a BRICS member. BRICS just surpassed the G7 in GDP. Now there is BRICS+ with the UAE, Iran, Egypt, Turkey, Argentina, and others waiting in line to join. Not sure if you noticed but absent the US, the Middle East is breaking out in peace. Syria is being brought in out of the cold. UAE and Iran are quelling the war in Yemen. Egypt and Turkey are normalizing relations again. All of this without the US involved at all, and really against what the US pushes.
Brazil and China are ditching the USD for local currencies, France just bought Chinese LNG without Petrodollars. The USD is losing its reserve currency status, this is happening. The US inflation has been dumped on other nations currencies, and they want out. People don’t want pipelines blown up or made useful for proxy wars.
The US and West have been hollowed out of the manufacturing base because of globalism, and it’s cultures are declining into a monoculture of transhumanism with anti-human ecological policies. You can’t make things without energy. We have premitized, and dehumanized our cultures into a mess. The hyper-financialization policies that drove our silly do-nothing, build-nothing knowledge based businesses and gave us all this GDP value, but that’s going away. Our currencies and financial institutions are in real trouble, and the fact that the US has made most other nations besides its vassals in Europe dislike it has not helped. The thing is that Russia can make stuff, and so can China. The US and Europe can’t even make enough artillary shells for Ukrain to keep up, but Russia can, and has. That’s a problem, and we’ve all basically disarmed ourselves by giving Ukraine so much for a war they could never win.
I think as the Spring and Summer get here, I think we are all going to be shocked as to basically how screwed we are in just about every decision the Biden Administration has forced on the world, in addition to the stupidity and corrupttion of the EU leadership.
We aren’t free you clown, we’re under increasingly authoritarian globalist liberalism that despises the real history, culture, traditions and native peoples of the West.
India is not going to go against a BRICS member. BRICS just surpassed the G7 in GDP. Now there is BRICS+ with the UAE, Iran, Egypt, Turkey, Argentina, and others waiting in line to join. Not sure if you noticed but absent the US, the Middle East is breaking out in peace. Syria is being brought in out of the cold. UAE and Iran are quelling the war in Yemen. Egypt and Turkey are normalizing relations again. All of this without the US involved at all, and really against what the US pushes.
Brazil and China are ditching the USD for local currencies, France just bought Chinese LNG without Petrodollars. The USD is losing its reserve currency status, this is happening. The US inflation has been dumped on other nations currencies, and they want out. People don’t want pipelines blown up or made useful for proxy wars.
The US and West have been hollowed out of the manufacturing base because of globalism, and it’s cultures are declining into a monoculture of transhumanism with anti-human ecological policies. You can’t make things without energy. We have premitized, and dehumanized our cultures into a mess. The hyper-financialization policies that drove our silly do-nothing, build-nothing knowledge based businesses and gave us all this GDP value, but that’s going away. Our currencies and financial institutions are in real trouble, and the fact that the US has made most other nations besides its vassals in Europe dislike it has not helped. The thing is that Russia can make stuff, and so can China. The US and Europe can’t even make enough artillary shells for Ukrain to keep up, but Russia can, and has. That’s a problem, and we’ve all basically disarmed ourselves by giving Ukraine so much for a war they could never win.
I think as the Spring and Summer get here, I think we are all going to be shocked as to basically how screwed we are in just about every decision the Biden Administration has forced on the world, in addition to the stupidity and corrupttion of the EU leadership.
Arthur G
1 year ago
The issue is not the USA vs China and Russia. The issue is can the free nations of the world stand together vs. the emerging authoritarian states. If you take the US, NATO/EU, and our Pacific Allies (Japan, S. Korea, ANZACS, Taiwan, Singapore) we represent 50% of the worlds GDP, 80% of the world’s naval power, and 90% of the actually free nations. If we stand together, Chinese and Russian power looks pathetic, even if the rest of the BRICS throw in with them. Only by dividing the free world can the authoritarians prevail.
The only reason that the EU is not an equal partner with the US is that Europe has be loathe to spend seriously on their military, or anger Russia and China, for economic reasons. Hopefully the Ukraine War has cured this naivete. Japan also seems ready to become the leader of the free world in Asia.
The democracies need to become a three pillared alliance 1) US/Canada, 2) European NATO/EU, 3) Pacific allies. If India has any sense, they’ll join the other democracies of Asia in opposing China. There’s no reason the US needs to be more than one leg of this stool.
Jürg Gassmann
1 year ago
What utter, dangerous drivel.
If you claim to be the good guy, you actually have to BE the good guy.
When the Soviet Union dissolved, the US had a unique opportunity to shape the world for the future where the US would inevitably lose its unipolar status – inevitable because of demographics and the very success of the market economy model.
The US has squandered this opportunity. Instead of strengthening international law, the US went on a spree of illegal wars of aggression, against Serbia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya etc. etc., fought with a brutality and disrespect for the norms of civilisation that revealed the rank hypocrisy of “Western standards”.
Yes, the rule of law used to be a bedrock of soft power, built over centuries. But the US has been abusing it for decades, simply stealing the gold and central bank deposits of Venezuela and Afghanistan, and then stealing the assets of individuals simply on the basis of a passport, without any due process whatsoever.
If the US had at least been good at it – but the US has been dismally inept, both in diplomacy and on the battlefield. US diplomacy used to be “speak softly and carry a big stick.” The “stick” turns out to be a twig. Ignoring the palate-cleansing invasions of Panama and Grenada, the US has not won a war since WW II – and that was won as an alliance with Britain and Russia. The US defeats in Iraq and Afghanistan were humiliating.
In diplomacy, “speak softly” had been replaced with open threats and hectoring. International institutions have been subverted to blatantly serve US interests. There is no subtlety at all.
The US (and the EU) are now at the flamboyant drunk stage, in such c**k-sure denial that we believe we have deceived all around us that we no longer hide our drinking. We are convinced all around us see our image of ourselves, and not the moral wreck we have become, and we are utterly resistant to any intervention. We’ll have to hit rock bottom before anything changes. And that is coming, the sooner the better for us and everyone.
How are things in Bakhmut and Avdiivka?
Looks like having the EU and the US on your side yields far more benefits than any from China or Russia.
Just ask the Armenians.
How are things in Bakhmut and Avdiivka?
Looks like having the EU and the US on your side yields far more benefits than any from China or Russia.
Just ask the Armenians.
Jürg Gassmann
1 year ago
What utter, dangerous drivel.
If you claim to be the good guy, you actually have to BE the good guy.
When the Soviet Union dissolved, the US had a unique opportunity to shape the world for the future where the US would inevitably lose its unipolar status – inevitable because of demographics and the very success of the market economy model.
The US has squandered this opportunity. Instead of strengthening international law, the US went on a spree of illegal wars of aggression, against Serbia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya etc. etc., fought with a brutality and disrespect for the norms of civilisation that revealed the rank hypocrisy of “Western standards”.
Yes, the rule of law used to be a bedrock of soft power, built over centuries. But the US has been abusing it for decades, simply stealing the gold and central bank deposits of Venezuela and Afghanistan, and then stealing the assets of individuals simply on the basis of a passport, without any due process whatsoever.
If the US had at least been good at it – but the US has been dismally inept, both in diplomacy and on the battlefield. US diplomacy used to be “speak softly and carry a big stick.” The “stick” turns out to be a twig. Ignoring the palate-cleansing invasions of Panama and Grenada, the US has not won a war since WW II – and that was won as an alliance with Britain and Russia. The US defeats in Iraq and Afghanistan were humiliating.
In diplomacy, “speak softly” had been replaced with open threats and hectoring. International institutions have been subverted to blatantly serve US interests. There is no subtlety at all.
The US (and the EU) are now at the flamboyant drunk stage, in such c**k-sure denial that we believe we have deceived all around us that we no longer hide our drinking. We are convinced all around us see our image of ourselves, and not the moral wreck we have become, and we are utterly resistant to any intervention. We’ll have to hit rock bottom before anything changes. And that is coming, the sooner the better for us and everyone.
AC Harper
1 year ago
Despite the apparent long period of Pax America the nature of world politics has always been Risk. From Wikipedia:
Risk is a strategy board game of diplomacy, conflict and conquest for two to six players. The standard version is played on a board depicting a political map of the world, divided into 42 territories, which are grouped into six continents.
And if the USA have stumbled into a less dominant position then they have done it to themselves in a series of unforced errors.
AC Harper
1 year ago
Despite the apparent long period of Pax America the nature of world politics has always been Risk. From Wikipedia:
Risk is a strategy board game of diplomacy, conflict and conquest for two to six players. The standard version is played on a board depicting a political map of the world, divided into 42 territories, which are grouped into six continents.
And if the USA have stumbled into a less dominant position then they have done it to themselves in a series of unforced errors.
Peter B
1 year ago
“In a tripolar world, with America, Russia and China operating as individual actors, any alliance between two great powers inevitably spells doom for the third.”
Stop right there. Anyone who thinks that Russia is still a great power is deluded. Russia is in terminal decline as a power. China has already peaked – the demographics don’t lie here.
The USA will do just fine. If Russia and China (who are not natural allies by any stretch) want to start up a new Cold War, they’ll lose.
And there is no “Global South”.
Too many commentators with too little real current or historical knowledge and too much time on their hands. And too much media space to fill.
Peter B
1 year ago
“In a tripolar world, with America, Russia and China operating as individual actors, any alliance between two great powers inevitably spells doom for the third.”
Stop right there. Anyone who thinks that Russia is still a great power is deluded. Russia is in terminal decline as a power. China has already peaked – the demographics don’t lie here.
The USA will do just fine. If Russia and China (who are not natural allies by any stretch) want to start up a new Cold War, they’ll lose.
And there is no “Global South”.
Too many commentators with too little real current or historical knowledge and too much time on their hands. And too much media space to fill.
CHARLES STANHOPE
1 year ago
What a pity we didn’t prosecute the War of 1812 with a little more vigour.
Having burnt Washington DC to the ground, destroyed both the US Navy and the merchant marine, and thus wrecked their trade, we should have exploited the divisions highlighted by the Hartford Convention and divided the place in two.
New England and New York back into the Empire, the rest, an enfeebled Republic with a rather ‘rinky-dink’ slave economy, that could have been chastised and perhaps even incorporated at a later date.
However the opportunity for profit and plunder in India and the Far East proved just too strong, and thus a major strategic opportunity was lost, to the detriment of the entire World, it must be said.
History is so simple when you imagine it rather than know it. The Empire was much more attached to Cotton, Tobacco and other Southern crops than the competitive industry of the North. As someone once said, “follow the money”.
But New England made the opening move and that should have been exploited.
Incidentally there was much “ competitive industry” in the north in 1814 as you may know.
As to Cotton & Tobacco we didn’t need to control the source, as is owners were quite happy sell and allow people such the Glasgow Tobacco Barons to control the market.
But New England made the opening move and that should have been exploited.
Incidentally there was much “ competitive industry” in the north in 1814 as you may know.
As to Cotton & Tobacco we didn’t need to control the source, as is owners were quite happy sell and allow people such the Glasgow Tobacco Barons to control the market.
The US population was growing far too fast for the English to maintain control. If the US had stayed in the Empire, the Capital would have been in New York, rather than London before too long.
If the English had somehow managed to enfeeble the US, you would have lost WW1 badly. Without US industry and loans, the Allies would have been finished in 1916. If Wilson hadn’t allowed un-collateralized lending to the UK by US banks, the UK was set to collapse finacially in 1917.
No need for profanity, but we didn’t stand a chance from 1778-83, as also we had to contend with France, Spain and the Netherlands, and the ‘Armed Neutrality’ of Russia & Co.
You’re missing the point of what I’m saying, which your last sentence so amply illustrates. Allow me to extend your fantasy further: a British victory in the War of 1812 and subsequent recolonization of America would have made the UK the mightiest empire ever and it would still be today, etc, etc. All in all, I don’t think that Great Britain fared so badly with its former colonies as its ally, considering for instance the multiple foreign policy blunders which led to the rise of the Third Reich. Though I guess in your ‘if only’ reimagining of history, none of that would have happened.
You’re missing the point of what I’m saying, which your last sentence so amply illustrates. Allow me to extend your fantasy further: a British victory in the War of 1812 and subsequent recolonization of America would have made the UK the mightiest empire ever and it would still be today, etc, etc. All in all, I don’t think that Great Britain fared so badly with its former colonies as its ally, considering for instance the multiple foreign policy blunders which led to the rise of the Third Reich. Though I guess in your ‘if only’ reimagining of history, none of that would have happened.
No need for profanity, but we didn’t stand a chance from 1778-83, as also we had to contend with France, Spain and the Netherlands, and the ‘Armed Neutrality’ of Russia & Co.
I doubt if Britain could have ruled the US from abroad. Too many people with too many grievances against Britain had already settled the eastern half of the country.
For better or worse, Britain could never make the US into another Canada.
Oh, and by the way, Britain also lost the last battle. 😉
History is so simple when you imagine it rather than know it. The Empire was much more attached to Cotton, Tobacco and other Southern crops than the competitive industry of the North. As someone once said, “follow the money”.
The US population was growing far too fast for the English to maintain control. If the US had stayed in the Empire, the Capital would have been in New York, rather than London before too long.
If the English had somehow managed to enfeeble the US, you would have lost WW1 badly. Without US industry and loans, the Allies would have been finished in 1916. If Wilson hadn’t allowed un-collateralized lending to the UK by US banks, the UK was set to collapse finacially in 1917.
I doubt if Britain could have ruled the US from abroad. Too many people with too many grievances against Britain had already settled the eastern half of the country.
For better or worse, Britain could never make the US into another Canada.
Oh, and by the way, Britain also lost the last battle. 😉
CHARLES STANHOPE
1 year ago
What a pity we didn’t prosecute the War of 1812 with a little more vigour.
Having burnt Washington DC to the ground, destroyed both the US Navy and the merchant marine, and thus wrecked their trade, we should have exploited the divisions highlighted by the Hartford Convention and divided the place in two.
New England and New York back into the Empire, the rest, an enfeebled Republic with a rather ‘rinky-dink’ slave economy, that could have been chastised and perhaps even incorporated at a later date.
However the opportunity for profit and plunder in India and the Far East proved just too strong, and thus a major strategic opportunity was lost, to the detriment of the entire World, it must be said.
P Branagan
1 year ago
“How much evidence is required before it is clear that Western Civilization is empty of integrity, judgment, reason, morality, empathy, compassion, self-awareness, truth, empty of everything that Western Civilization once respected?
All that is left of the West is insouciance and unrestrained evil.”
~Paul Craig Roberts, former Undersecretary Of Treasury, Reagan Administration
Mr Stokes matches that description of the West almost perfectly.
P Branagan
1 year ago
“How much evidence is required before it is clear that Western Civilization is empty of integrity, judgment, reason, morality, empathy, compassion, self-awareness, truth, empty of everything that Western Civilization once respected?
All that is left of the West is insouciance and unrestrained evil.”
~Paul Craig Roberts, former Undersecretary Of Treasury, Reagan Administration
Mr Stokes matches that description of the West almost perfectly.
JR Stoker
1 year ago
The USA is still an incredibly strong bloc, with massive resources, not least, of intellectual energy (and indeed the physical stuff), great drive, educational standards ahead of most of the rest of the world, huge research and development capabilities, and the amazing blessings of capitalism.
Her bad news at the moment is the two old buffoons scrapping to be President, but their time will pass; in a maximum of five years. Like the advent of Reagan in 1980 post the failures of Carter, with a little luck a leader will soon appear who can sooth and heal the divisions.
The shooting attacks are of course terrible, each an awful tragedy. But does not alter the fact that the educational system is a very good one and produces some of the best intellects in the world
The shooting attacks are of course terrible, each an awful tragedy. But does not alter the fact that the educational system is a very good one and produces some of the best intellects in the world
I agree. And as the two buffon’s time will pass in due course and better leaders hopefully emerge, the woke, leftist fad will also have done it’s damage and moved on and intellectualism returned to more wholesome, cultured and benign role models.
Unchecked immigration and runaway demographics across North America is also an unknown quantity for the future of the ‘West’. A problem China and Russia luckily do not have. In tomorrow’s world ageing populations will likely prove to be the lesser evil.
I agree. And as the two buffon’s time will pass in due course and better leaders hopefully emerge, the woke, leftist fad will also have done it’s damage and moved on and intellectualism returned to more wholesome, cultured and benign role models.
Unchecked immigration and runaway demographics across North America is also an unknown quantity for the future of the ‘West’. A problem China and Russia luckily do not have. In tomorrow’s world ageing populations will likely prove to be the lesser evil.
I do not think you realise how bad things are in the US.
JR Stoker
1 year ago
The USA is still an incredibly strong bloc, with massive resources, not least, of intellectual energy (and indeed the physical stuff), great drive, educational standards ahead of most of the rest of the world, huge research and development capabilities, and the amazing blessings of capitalism.
Her bad news at the moment is the two old buffoons scrapping to be President, but their time will pass; in a maximum of five years. Like the advent of Reagan in 1980 post the failures of Carter, with a little luck a leader will soon appear who can sooth and heal the divisions.
mfx v
1 year ago
Hopium
mfx v
1 year ago
Hopium
mike otter
1 year ago
You’d hope our Emporers would learn from their mistakes when Yeltsin was in power – bring a post Putin Russia back in. Yeltsin was denied entry to the clearing banks and WTO systems, look what we got: Kleptocrats then Putin. If we let them play then 1. we can keep an eye on them and 2. They have as much to lose as we from any economic fallout.
Last edited 1 year ago by mike otter
mike otter
1 year ago
You’d hope our Emporers would learn from their mistakes when Yeltsin was in power – bring a post Putin Russia back in. Yeltsin was denied entry to the clearing banks and WTO systems, look what we got: Kleptocrats then Putin. If we let them play then 1. we can keep an eye on them and 2. They have as much to lose as we from any economic fallout.
Last edited 1 year ago by mike otter
martin logan
1 year ago
Very good piece on why changes to the international order aren’t coming any time soon.
Also, some rather foolish sub-Marxist reveries in the comments. Indeed, it’s been going on since at least the 1950s:
–The “third world” was going to economically surpass the First.
–Then radical Marxist revolutionaries were going to topple US hegemony
–THEN radical Muslims were going to destroy the First World’s “stranglehold” on the rest.
–Now the BRICS (finally!) are going to overtake and surpass senile old Europe and America.
FACTS:
–China is going to undergo the same stagnation as Japan saw from the 80’s on–and for the same reason. An inevitable population decline brought on by 30 years of the one-child policy. Simply too late to rectify.
–Brazil has even bigger political divisions than the states.
–India is stuck in the middle income trap, and the Hindu nationalist who runs the place would rather suppress Muslims than grow his economy or prepare for climate change.
–South Africa can’t even produce enough electricity to power its nation 24 hours a day.
–And finally, Russia is bent on a suicidal war, having squandered nearly all of its military on futile ground attacks on Ukraine’s cities, and even more futile attacks to freeze those cities out (they haven’t, and won’t). Read Russians like Strelkov and Kalashnikov for what’s really going on.
Every nation on earth could do with better governance.
But the ill-governed, mostly dictatorial nations of the BRICS and the Third World are the very last models any nation ought to follow.
The US and the EU do well, not because they have the best possible societies
But because they are better than all the rest…
Also because the USA makes all it’s own food and can supply all the oil we need to keep the lights on.
We can source labor and raw materials (especially labor) from Mexico and Canada (thanks, NAFTA!). Colombia, too.
Meanwhile Europe is hoping they can get along with each other (look to history for that answer) so they can fend off Russia.
China is, well, China.
Most nations other than the USA and our close friends are hoping they can find nearby trading partners to buy food, otherwise, they’ll be sitting by themselves, cold and alone, in the dark.
Also because the USA makes all it’s own food and can supply all the oil we need to keep the lights on.
We can source labor and raw materials (especially labor) from Mexico and Canada (thanks, NAFTA!). Colombia, too.
Meanwhile Europe is hoping they can get along with each other (look to history for that answer) so they can fend off Russia.
China is, well, China.
Most nations other than the USA and our close friends are hoping they can find nearby trading partners to buy food, otherwise, they’ll be sitting by themselves, cold and alone, in the dark.
martin logan
1 year ago
Very good piece on why changes to the international order aren’t coming any time soon.
Also, some rather foolish sub-Marxist reveries in the comments. Indeed, it’s been going on since at least the 1950s:
–The “third world” was going to economically surpass the First.
–Then radical Marxist revolutionaries were going to topple US hegemony
–THEN radical Muslims were going to destroy the First World’s “stranglehold” on the rest.
–Now the BRICS (finally!) are going to overtake and surpass senile old Europe and America.
FACTS:
–China is going to undergo the same stagnation as Japan saw from the 80’s on–and for the same reason. An inevitable population decline brought on by 30 years of the one-child policy. Simply too late to rectify.
–Brazil has even bigger political divisions than the states.
–India is stuck in the middle income trap, and the Hindu nationalist who runs the place would rather suppress Muslims than grow his economy or prepare for climate change.
–South Africa can’t even produce enough electricity to power its nation 24 hours a day.
–And finally, Russia is bent on a suicidal war, having squandered nearly all of its military on futile ground attacks on Ukraine’s cities, and even more futile attacks to freeze those cities out (they haven’t, and won’t). Read Russians like Strelkov and Kalashnikov for what’s really going on.
Every nation on earth could do with better governance.
But the ill-governed, mostly dictatorial nations of the BRICS and the Third World are the very last models any nation ought to follow.
The US and the EU do well, not because they have the best possible societies
But because they are better than all the rest…
Last edited 1 year ago by martin logan
Dougie Undersub
1 year ago
One thing’s for sure, Putin is now Xi’s poodle. Everything else is quite uncertain.
Dougie Undersub
1 year ago
One thing’s for sure, Putin is now Xi’s poodle. Everything else is quite uncertain.
martin logan
1 year ago
It’s pretty simple, really.
If you can create a Rule of Law nation that doesn’t allow crooks to steal most of the national wealth and sock it away in Switzerland, you have a shot at a better life.
If you create a society where one Dear Leader decides to do things like annexing other countries (China, Russia), or suppressing internal minorities (India, China), or steal most of the wealth for a very few (South Africa, Russia), most people won’t have a better life.
Although at least one of the leaders of the above will get a really cool billion-pound mansion.
But perhaps that’s all refuted by the Finnish and Swiss Colonial Empires?
The atrocities those two imperialist nations committed in Africa, South America and Asia were beyond belief !!!
Last edited 1 year ago by martin logan
martin logan
1 year ago
It’s pretty simple, really.
If you can create a Rule of Law nation that doesn’t allow crooks to steal most of the national wealth and sock it away in Switzerland, you have a shot at a better life.
If you create a society where one Dear Leader decides to do things like annexing other countries (China, Russia), or suppressing internal minorities (India, China), or steal most of the wealth for a very few (South Africa, Russia), most people won’t have a better life.
Although at least one of the leaders of the above will get a really cool billion-pound mansion.
But perhaps that’s all refuted by the Finnish and Swiss Colonial Empires?
The atrocities those two imperialist nations committed in Africa, South America and Asia were beyond belief !!!
When will the Americans realise the fallacy of hoping to radically transform societies through democracy, capitalism and prosperity? It seems that any time a writer identifies a problem but can’t provide a clear solution, they turn to this mantra.
It didn’t work in post-Soviet Russia, didn’t work in Iraq & Afghanistan, didn’t work with China when it joined WTO, how can anyone think that this ” “grand bargain” would settle the intersection of historical grievances and fears over status and security”. What supportive evidence is there, apart from wishful thinking.
The problem is that nobody can define ‘democracy’ succesfully. It is immediately open to question of its validity.
The democracy in the US at the moment means that a lot of rich people try to tell a lot of poor people what is good for them. That works for a while. Those richer, middle-class intellectuals develop theories which are obviously correct in their eyes. The theories become mantras and can’t be questioned.
If the poorer, less well-educated people object, they are said to be ‘thick’ or not capable of understanding. The Brexit vote shows this clearly. The middle-class views in London were overwhelmed when real people decided to vote for once.
In the US you have Democracy 1, the Trump version, which means that the poorer people start to vote – democracy means you, yes you. Then you have Democracy 2, the rich do-gooders who want to tell everybody else what to say and think.
Which do you prefer? I know what I think.
Once we’ve eliminated Russia’s leader and put in a puppet government that kneels to Western control everything will be fine!
The simple answer is: if they don’t emulate the West, they stay poor and corrupt, run by idiots like Putin and Xi.
Which in turn insures that the US and Europe always stay on top.
Agreed, however, no need to change any nation’s system by force. If they wish to stay that way, fine.
Just don’t try and change states that really do want to emulate the West.
When you say “emulate”, do you mean attack, loot and undermine the rest of the world (once they try to pick up the pieces from the last “civilizing mission”)?
The west didn’t get rich through democracy and capitalism, it got rich by plundering the world for centuries and then justifying that by way of good old racism (back in the day) and “democracy & freedom” nowadays, while using the advantages of having stolen so much of the worlds riches to create a barrier to states who might want to try to join the club of prosperity (with some rare exceptions) – as is often seen with something like the so-called “resource curse”.
The West is certainly still on top and will likely stay there for most of our lifetimes, but everything has an end and I suspect this is the beginning of the American empires decline. Unfortunately for those of us living in Europe, continuously clinging to Americas coattails will likely mean we will be the first to experience the consequences (aside from their Asian vassals perhaps).
Indeed, the US conquest of Japan, Taiwan and South Korea left them desperately poor, and dependent on the US. Their governing classes are but puppets for the Washington puppet-masters.
If only they were free and independent, like Zimbabwe!
Indeed, the US conquest of Japan, Taiwan and South Korea left them desperately poor, and dependent on the US. Their governing classes are but puppets for the Washington puppet-masters.
If only they were free and independent, like Zimbabwe!
When you say “emulate”, do you mean attack, loot and undermine the rest of the world (once they try to pick up the pieces from the last “civilizing mission”)?
The west didn’t get rich through democracy and capitalism, it got rich by plundering the world for centuries and then justifying that by way of good old racism (back in the day) and “democracy & freedom” nowadays, while using the advantages of having stolen so much of the worlds riches to create a barrier to states who might want to try to join the club of prosperity (with some rare exceptions) – as is often seen with something like the so-called “resource curse”.
The West is certainly still on top and will likely stay there for most of our lifetimes, but everything has an end and I suspect this is the beginning of the American empires decline. Unfortunately for those of us living in Europe, continuously clinging to Americas coattails will likely mean we will be the first to experience the consequences (aside from their Asian vassals perhaps).
Panayiotis, Russia and China didn’t turn democratic precisely because the pressure from the U.S. was soft and inconsistent, and they only got the carrot but never the stick. Very different from Germany and Japan who first suffered defeating blows and only then got wholehearted assistance from the U.S.
Don’t wanna be a bad prophet but it looks like Putin’s Russia won’t stop until it finally suffers a defeating blow. So here we go.
The problem is that nobody can define ‘democracy’ succesfully. It is immediately open to question of its validity.
The democracy in the US at the moment means that a lot of rich people try to tell a lot of poor people what is good for them. That works for a while. Those richer, middle-class intellectuals develop theories which are obviously correct in their eyes. The theories become mantras and can’t be questioned.
If the poorer, less well-educated people object, they are said to be ‘thick’ or not capable of understanding. The Brexit vote shows this clearly. The middle-class views in London were overwhelmed when real people decided to vote for once.
In the US you have Democracy 1, the Trump version, which means that the poorer people start to vote – democracy means you, yes you. Then you have Democracy 2, the rich do-gooders who want to tell everybody else what to say and think.
Which do you prefer? I know what I think.
Once we’ve eliminated Russia’s leader and put in a puppet government that kneels to Western control everything will be fine!
The simple answer is: if they don’t emulate the West, they stay poor and corrupt, run by idiots like Putin and Xi.
Which in turn insures that the US and Europe always stay on top.
Agreed, however, no need to change any nation’s system by force. If they wish to stay that way, fine.
Just don’t try and change states that really do want to emulate the West.
Panayiotis, Russia and China didn’t turn democratic precisely because the pressure from the U.S. was soft and inconsistent, and they only got the carrot but never the stick. Very different from Germany and Japan who first suffered defeating blows and only then got wholehearted assistance from the U.S.
Don’t wanna be a bad prophet but it looks like Putin’s Russia won’t stop until it finally suffers a defeating blow. So here we go.
When will the Americans realise the fallacy of hoping to radically transform societies through democracy, capitalism and prosperity? It seems that any time a writer identifies a problem but can’t provide a clear solution, they turn to this mantra.
It didn’t work in post-Soviet Russia, didn’t work in Iraq & Afghanistan, didn’t work with China when it joined WTO, how can anyone think that this ” “grand bargain” would settle the intersection of historical grievances and fears over status and security”. What supportive evidence is there, apart from wishful thinking.
Translation: If you don’t agree with the author that US global economic and military hegemony are in decline as it’s culture, institutions and political class is in decline, then you’re a Chinese or Russian propagandist.
The fact is that the one thing that is different in regards to the peace in the middle east that is breaking out is that the US has been completely cut out of all of it. There is a sort of global Spring in the air optimism breaking out.
We have one side that uses threats and sanctions to push an anti-human: transhuman, abortion, radical environmentalism onto the world, and if you don’t agree we will make sure that NGOs empower a radical class to take over your country and make you more useful to our agenda. Then on the other side countries get offered respect for their sovereignty, trade and infrastructure. It’s not hard to see how most of the rest of the world isn’t excited to escape the thuggish warlike cult.
Now, you could argue that China and Russia can’t be trusted. You might have some good arguments there, but as of now it appears that the world is being offered something more attractive than the anti-human cult of power that America now pushes.
It will hopefully all end with a new American President. Otherwise the whole West is doomed. Once the US concentrates on becoming energy independent again, puts an end to some of the cultish movements, clean out their corrupt institutions, there might be some hope, that Europe will stop this nonsense too, otherwise Europe will just become a museum for tourists.
It seems like it happened overnight but in reality it’s developed at a rapid pace since the 60’s. It will take years to undo all the harm. That said, the dems have hijacked the voting procedures in the most important states so it may be that no republican will ever win the White House again.
I would venture and say that the damage started back with at least FDR. That said I trust on one hand the American spirit and on the other hand the sheer arrogance and hysteria of the American left so there still hope.
I would venture and say that the damage started back with at least FDR. That said I trust on one hand the American spirit and on the other hand the sheer arrogance and hysteria of the American left so there still hope.
It seems like it happened overnight but in reality it’s developed at a rapid pace since the 60’s. It will take years to undo all the harm. That said, the dems have hijacked the voting procedures in the most important states so it may be that no republican will ever win the White House again.
It will hopefully all end with a new American President. Otherwise the whole West is doomed. Once the US concentrates on becoming energy independent again, puts an end to some of the cultish movements, clean out their corrupt institutions, there might be some hope, that Europe will stop this nonsense too, otherwise Europe will just become a museum for tourists.
Translation: If you don’t agree with the author that US global economic and military hegemony are in decline as it’s culture, institutions and political class is in decline, then you’re a Chinese or Russian propagandist.
The fact is that the one thing that is different in regards to the peace in the middle east that is breaking out is that the US has been completely cut out of all of it. There is a sort of global Spring in the air optimism breaking out.
We have one side that uses threats and sanctions to push an anti-human: transhuman, abortion, radical environmentalism onto the world, and if you don’t agree we will make sure that NGOs empower a radical class to take over your country and make you more useful to our agenda. Then on the other side countries get offered respect for their sovereignty, trade and infrastructure. It’s not hard to see how most of the rest of the world isn’t excited to escape the thuggish warlike cult.
Now, you could argue that China and Russia can’t be trusted. You might have some good arguments there, but as of now it appears that the world is being offered something more attractive than the anti-human cult of power that America now pushes.
Oh I think the Americans are fairly barbaric in their own right. Kissinger had it right about friendship with Uncle Sam.
Aren’t we all? The whole world. Each country seeks for itself and that is usually not pretty but the little cooperation that is attained must continually be strived for- no matter how “barbaric” we all are.
Aren’t we all? The whole world. Each country seeks for itself and that is usually not pretty but the little cooperation that is attained must continually be strived for- no matter how “barbaric” we all are.
Oh I think the Americans are fairly barbaric in their own right. Kissinger had it right about friendship with Uncle Sam.
The issue is not the USA vs China and Russia. The issue is can the free nations of the world stand together vs. the emerging authoritarian states. If you take the US, NATO/EU, and our Pacific Allies (Japan, S. Korea, ANZACS, Taiwan, Singapore) we represent 50% of the worlds GDP, 80% of the world’s naval power, and 90% of the actually free nations. If we stand together, Chinese and Russian power looks pathetic, even if the rest of the BRICS throw in with them. Only by dividing the free world can the authoritarians prevail.
The only reason that the EU is not an equal partner with the US is that Europe has be loathe to spend seriously on their military, or anger Russia and China, for economic reasons. Hopefully the Ukraine War has cured this naivete. Japan also seems ready to become the leader of the free world in Asia.
The democracies need to become a three pillared alliance 1) US/Canada, 2) European NATO/EU, 3) Pacific allies. If India has any sense, they’ll join the other democracies of Asia in opposing China. There’s no reason the US needs to be more than one leg of this stool.
We aren’t free you clown, we’re under increasingly authoritarian globalist liberalism that despises the real history, culture, traditions and native peoples of the West.
Unlike Xi and Putin, who really do honour “the real history, culture, traditions and native peoples of the West.”
They do with their own as it should be. I don’t understand this comment. Do you not realize what is happening?
They do with their own as it should be. I don’t understand this comment. Do you not realize what is happening?
Unlike Xi and Putin, who really do honour “the real history, culture, traditions and native peoples of the West.”
India is not going to go against a BRICS member. BRICS just surpassed the G7 in GDP. Now there is BRICS+ with the UAE, Iran, Egypt, Turkey, Argentina, and others waiting in line to join. Not sure if you noticed but absent the US, the Middle East is breaking out in peace. Syria is being brought in out of the cold. UAE and Iran are quelling the war in Yemen. Egypt and Turkey are normalizing relations again. All of this without the US involved at all, and really against what the US pushes.
Brazil and China are ditching the USD for local currencies, France just bought Chinese LNG without Petrodollars. The USD is losing its reserve currency status, this is happening. The US inflation has been dumped on other nations currencies, and they want out. People don’t want pipelines blown up or made useful for proxy wars.
The US and West have been hollowed out of the manufacturing base because of globalism, and it’s cultures are declining into a monoculture of transhumanism with anti-human ecological policies. You can’t make things without energy. We have premitized, and dehumanized our cultures into a mess. The hyper-financialization policies that drove our silly do-nothing, build-nothing knowledge based businesses and gave us all this GDP value, but that’s going away. Our currencies and financial institutions are in real trouble, and the fact that the US has made most other nations besides its vassals in Europe dislike it has not helped. The thing is that Russia can make stuff, and so can China. The US and Europe can’t even make enough artillary shells for Ukrain to keep up, but Russia can, and has. That’s a problem, and we’ve all basically disarmed ourselves by giving Ukraine so much for a war they could never win.
I think as the Spring and Summer get here, I think we are all going to be shocked as to basically how screwed we are in just about every decision the Biden Administration has forced on the world, in addition to the stupidity and corrupttion of the EU leadership.
That “Russia can make stuff” is a quite curious statement.
It’s been de-industrializing all save its defence industries for 30 years.
Perhaps but every other point was spot on.
Perhaps but every other point was spot on.
That “Russia can make stuff” is a quite curious statement.
It’s been de-industrializing all save its defence industries for 30 years.
We aren’t free you clown, we’re under increasingly authoritarian globalist liberalism that despises the real history, culture, traditions and native peoples of the West.
India is not going to go against a BRICS member. BRICS just surpassed the G7 in GDP. Now there is BRICS+ with the UAE, Iran, Egypt, Turkey, Argentina, and others waiting in line to join. Not sure if you noticed but absent the US, the Middle East is breaking out in peace. Syria is being brought in out of the cold. UAE and Iran are quelling the war in Yemen. Egypt and Turkey are normalizing relations again. All of this without the US involved at all, and really against what the US pushes.
Brazil and China are ditching the USD for local currencies, France just bought Chinese LNG without Petrodollars. The USD is losing its reserve currency status, this is happening. The US inflation has been dumped on other nations currencies, and they want out. People don’t want pipelines blown up or made useful for proxy wars.
The US and West have been hollowed out of the manufacturing base because of globalism, and it’s cultures are declining into a monoculture of transhumanism with anti-human ecological policies. You can’t make things without energy. We have premitized, and dehumanized our cultures into a mess. The hyper-financialization policies that drove our silly do-nothing, build-nothing knowledge based businesses and gave us all this GDP value, but that’s going away. Our currencies and financial institutions are in real trouble, and the fact that the US has made most other nations besides its vassals in Europe dislike it has not helped. The thing is that Russia can make stuff, and so can China. The US and Europe can’t even make enough artillary shells for Ukrain to keep up, but Russia can, and has. That’s a problem, and we’ve all basically disarmed ourselves by giving Ukraine so much for a war they could never win.
I think as the Spring and Summer get here, I think we are all going to be shocked as to basically how screwed we are in just about every decision the Biden Administration has forced on the world, in addition to the stupidity and corrupttion of the EU leadership.
The issue is not the USA vs China and Russia. The issue is can the free nations of the world stand together vs. the emerging authoritarian states. If you take the US, NATO/EU, and our Pacific Allies (Japan, S. Korea, ANZACS, Taiwan, Singapore) we represent 50% of the worlds GDP, 80% of the world’s naval power, and 90% of the actually free nations. If we stand together, Chinese and Russian power looks pathetic, even if the rest of the BRICS throw in with them. Only by dividing the free world can the authoritarians prevail.
The only reason that the EU is not an equal partner with the US is that Europe has be loathe to spend seriously on their military, or anger Russia and China, for economic reasons. Hopefully the Ukraine War has cured this naivete. Japan also seems ready to become the leader of the free world in Asia.
The democracies need to become a three pillared alliance 1) US/Canada, 2) European NATO/EU, 3) Pacific allies. If India has any sense, they’ll join the other democracies of Asia in opposing China. There’s no reason the US needs to be more than one leg of this stool.
What utter, dangerous drivel.
If you claim to be the good guy, you actually have to BE the good guy.
When the Soviet Union dissolved, the US had a unique opportunity to shape the world for the future where the US would inevitably lose its unipolar status – inevitable because of demographics and the very success of the market economy model.
The US has squandered this opportunity. Instead of strengthening international law, the US went on a spree of illegal wars of aggression, against Serbia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya etc. etc., fought with a brutality and disrespect for the norms of civilisation that revealed the rank hypocrisy of “Western standards”.
Yes, the rule of law used to be a bedrock of soft power, built over centuries. But the US has been abusing it for decades, simply stealing the gold and central bank deposits of Venezuela and Afghanistan, and then stealing the assets of individuals simply on the basis of a passport, without any due process whatsoever.
If the US had at least been good at it – but the US has been dismally inept, both in diplomacy and on the battlefield. US diplomacy used to be “speak softly and carry a big stick.” The “stick” turns out to be a twig. Ignoring the palate-cleansing invasions of Panama and Grenada, the US has not won a war since WW II – and that was won as an alliance with Britain and Russia. The US defeats in Iraq and Afghanistan were humiliating.
In diplomacy, “speak softly” had been replaced with open threats and hectoring. International institutions have been subverted to blatantly serve US interests. There is no subtlety at all.
The US (and the EU) are now at the flamboyant drunk stage, in such c**k-sure denial that we believe we have deceived all around us that we no longer hide our drinking. We are convinced all around us see our image of ourselves, and not the moral wreck we have become, and we are utterly resistant to any intervention. We’ll have to hit rock bottom before anything changes. And that is coming, the sooner the better for us and everyone.
How are things in Bakhmut and Avdiivka?
Looks like having the EU and the US on your side yields far more benefits than any from China or Russia.
Just ask the Armenians.
How are things in Bakhmut and Avdiivka?
Looks like having the EU and the US on your side yields far more benefits than any from China or Russia.
Just ask the Armenians.
What utter, dangerous drivel.
If you claim to be the good guy, you actually have to BE the good guy.
When the Soviet Union dissolved, the US had a unique opportunity to shape the world for the future where the US would inevitably lose its unipolar status – inevitable because of demographics and the very success of the market economy model.
The US has squandered this opportunity. Instead of strengthening international law, the US went on a spree of illegal wars of aggression, against Serbia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya etc. etc., fought with a brutality and disrespect for the norms of civilisation that revealed the rank hypocrisy of “Western standards”.
Yes, the rule of law used to be a bedrock of soft power, built over centuries. But the US has been abusing it for decades, simply stealing the gold and central bank deposits of Venezuela and Afghanistan, and then stealing the assets of individuals simply on the basis of a passport, without any due process whatsoever.
If the US had at least been good at it – but the US has been dismally inept, both in diplomacy and on the battlefield. US diplomacy used to be “speak softly and carry a big stick.” The “stick” turns out to be a twig. Ignoring the palate-cleansing invasions of Panama and Grenada, the US has not won a war since WW II – and that was won as an alliance with Britain and Russia. The US defeats in Iraq and Afghanistan were humiliating.
In diplomacy, “speak softly” had been replaced with open threats and hectoring. International institutions have been subverted to blatantly serve US interests. There is no subtlety at all.
The US (and the EU) are now at the flamboyant drunk stage, in such c**k-sure denial that we believe we have deceived all around us that we no longer hide our drinking. We are convinced all around us see our image of ourselves, and not the moral wreck we have become, and we are utterly resistant to any intervention. We’ll have to hit rock bottom before anything changes. And that is coming, the sooner the better for us and everyone.
Despite the apparent long period of Pax America the nature of world politics has always been Risk. From Wikipedia:
And if the USA have stumbled into a less dominant position then they have done it to themselves in a series of unforced errors.
Despite the apparent long period of Pax America the nature of world politics has always been Risk. From Wikipedia:
And if the USA have stumbled into a less dominant position then they have done it to themselves in a series of unforced errors.
“In a tripolar world, with America, Russia and China operating as individual actors, any alliance between two great powers inevitably spells doom for the third.”
Stop right there. Anyone who thinks that Russia is still a great power is deluded. Russia is in terminal decline as a power. China has already peaked – the demographics don’t lie here.
The USA will do just fine. If Russia and China (who are not natural allies by any stretch) want to start up a new Cold War, they’ll lose.
And there is no “Global South”.
Too many commentators with too little real current or historical knowledge and too much time on their hands. And too much media space to fill.
“In a tripolar world, with America, Russia and China operating as individual actors, any alliance between two great powers inevitably spells doom for the third.”
Stop right there. Anyone who thinks that Russia is still a great power is deluded. Russia is in terminal decline as a power. China has already peaked – the demographics don’t lie here.
The USA will do just fine. If Russia and China (who are not natural allies by any stretch) want to start up a new Cold War, they’ll lose.
And there is no “Global South”.
Too many commentators with too little real current or historical knowledge and too much time on their hands. And too much media space to fill.
What a pity we didn’t prosecute the War of 1812 with a little more vigour.
Having burnt Washington DC to the ground, destroyed both the US Navy and the merchant marine, and thus wrecked their trade, we should have exploited the divisions highlighted by the Hartford Convention and divided the place in two.
New England and New York back into the Empire, the rest, an enfeebled Republic with a rather ‘rinky-dink’ slave economy, that could have been chastised and perhaps even incorporated at a later date.
However the opportunity for profit and plunder in India and the Far East proved just too strong, and thus a major strategic opportunity was lost, to the detriment of the entire World, it must be said.
History is so simple when you imagine it rather than know it. The Empire was much more attached to Cotton, Tobacco and other Southern crops than the competitive industry of the North. As someone once said, “follow the money”.
But New England made the opening move and that should have been exploited.
Incidentally there was much “ competitive industry” in the north in 1814 as you may know.
As to Cotton & Tobacco we didn’t need to control the source, as is owners were quite happy sell and allow people such the Glasgow Tobacco Barons to control the market.
But New England made the opening move and that should have been exploited.
Incidentally there was much “ competitive industry” in the north in 1814 as you may know.
As to Cotton & Tobacco we didn’t need to control the source, as is owners were quite happy sell and allow people such the Glasgow Tobacco Barons to control the market.
The US population was growing far too fast for the English to maintain control. If the US had stayed in the Empire, the Capital would have been in New York, rather than London before too long.
If the English had somehow managed to enfeeble the US, you would have lost WW1 badly. Without US industry and loans, the Allies would have been finished in 1916. If Wilson hadn’t allowed un-collateralized lending to the UK by US banks, the UK was set to collapse finacially in 1917.
Just under 9million in 1814, and virtually defenceless.
However you are absolutely correct about 1914-18.
Now, the City of London is a colony of Wall Street
Just under 9million in 1814, and virtually defenceless.
However you are absolutely correct about 1914-18.
Now, the City of London is a colony of Wall Street
Good God Almighty, why don’t you just reimagine the American Revolutionary War while you’re at it?
No need for profanity, but we didn’t stand a chance from 1778-83, as also we had to contend with France, Spain and the Netherlands, and the ‘Armed Neutrality’ of Russia & Co.
Without ‘them’ if would have been different.
You’re missing the point of what I’m saying, which your last sentence so amply illustrates. Allow me to extend your fantasy further: a British victory in the War of 1812 and subsequent recolonization of America would have made the UK the mightiest empire ever and it would still be today, etc, etc. All in all, I don’t think that Great Britain fared so badly with its former colonies as its ally, considering for instance the multiple foreign policy blunders which led to the rise of the Third Reich. Though I guess in your ‘if only’ reimagining of history, none of that would have happened.
You’re missing the point of what I’m saying, which your last sentence so amply illustrates. Allow me to extend your fantasy further: a British victory in the War of 1812 and subsequent recolonization of America would have made the UK the mightiest empire ever and it would still be today, etc, etc. All in all, I don’t think that Great Britain fared so badly with its former colonies as its ally, considering for instance the multiple foreign policy blunders which led to the rise of the Third Reich. Though I guess in your ‘if only’ reimagining of history, none of that would have happened.
No need for profanity, but we didn’t stand a chance from 1778-83, as also we had to contend with France, Spain and the Netherlands, and the ‘Armed Neutrality’ of Russia & Co.
Without ‘them’ if would have been different.
I doubt if Britain could have ruled the US from abroad. Too many people with too many grievances against Britain had already settled the eastern half of the country.
For better or worse, Britain could never make the US into another Canada.
Oh, and by the way, Britain also lost the last battle. 😉
Yes, but the ‘last battle’ was completely irrelevant as you well know, because the Peace Treaty had already been signed in Ghent had it not?
Yes, but the ‘last battle’ was completely irrelevant as you well know, because the Peace Treaty had already been signed in Ghent had it not?
History is so simple when you imagine it rather than know it. The Empire was much more attached to Cotton, Tobacco and other Southern crops than the competitive industry of the North. As someone once said, “follow the money”.
The US population was growing far too fast for the English to maintain control. If the US had stayed in the Empire, the Capital would have been in New York, rather than London before too long.
If the English had somehow managed to enfeeble the US, you would have lost WW1 badly. Without US industry and loans, the Allies would have been finished in 1916. If Wilson hadn’t allowed un-collateralized lending to the UK by US banks, the UK was set to collapse finacially in 1917.
Good God Almighty, why don’t you just reimagine the American Revolutionary War while you’re at it?
I doubt if Britain could have ruled the US from abroad. Too many people with too many grievances against Britain had already settled the eastern half of the country.
For better or worse, Britain could never make the US into another Canada.
Oh, and by the way, Britain also lost the last battle. 😉
What a pity we didn’t prosecute the War of 1812 with a little more vigour.
Having burnt Washington DC to the ground, destroyed both the US Navy and the merchant marine, and thus wrecked their trade, we should have exploited the divisions highlighted by the Hartford Convention and divided the place in two.
New England and New York back into the Empire, the rest, an enfeebled Republic with a rather ‘rinky-dink’ slave economy, that could have been chastised and perhaps even incorporated at a later date.
However the opportunity for profit and plunder in India and the Far East proved just too strong, and thus a major strategic opportunity was lost, to the detriment of the entire World, it must be said.
“How much evidence is required before it is clear that Western Civilization is empty of integrity, judgment, reason, morality, empathy, compassion, self-awareness, truth, empty of everything that Western Civilization once respected?
All that is left of the West is insouciance and unrestrained evil.”
~Paul Craig Roberts, former Undersecretary Of Treasury, Reagan Administration
Mr Stokes matches that description of the West almost perfectly.
“How much evidence is required before it is clear that Western Civilization is empty of integrity, judgment, reason, morality, empathy, compassion, self-awareness, truth, empty of everything that Western Civilization once respected?
All that is left of the West is insouciance and unrestrained evil.”
~Paul Craig Roberts, former Undersecretary Of Treasury, Reagan Administration
Mr Stokes matches that description of the West almost perfectly.
The USA is still an incredibly strong bloc, with massive resources, not least, of intellectual energy (and indeed the physical stuff), great drive, educational standards ahead of most of the rest of the world, huge research and development capabilities, and the amazing blessings of capitalism.
Her bad news at the moment is the two old buffoons scrapping to be President, but their time will pass; in a maximum of five years. Like the advent of Reagan in 1980 post the failures of Carter, with a little luck a leader will soon appear who can sooth and heal the divisions.
Intellectual energy, sure. Over 360 school shooting attacks last year, 93 so far this year.. really amazing blessings.
The shooting attacks are of course terrible, each an awful tragedy. But does not alter the fact that the educational system is a very good one and produces some of the best intellects in the world
The shooting attacks are of course terrible, each an awful tragedy. But does not alter the fact that the educational system is a very good one and produces some of the best intellects in the world
I agree. And as the two buffon’s time will pass in due course and better leaders hopefully emerge, the woke, leftist fad will also have done it’s damage and moved on and intellectualism returned to more wholesome, cultured and benign role models.
Unchecked immigration and runaway demographics across North America is also an unknown quantity for the future of the ‘West’. A problem China and Russia luckily do not have. In tomorrow’s world ageing populations will likely prove to be the lesser evil.
I do not think you realise how bad things are in the US.
Not as bad as the media likes to portray, but not as good as they should be.
I live in the US, things are great here. Life is good. People are wonderful.
Not as bad as the media likes to portray, but not as good as they should be.
I live in the US, things are great here. Life is good. People are wonderful.
Intellectual energy, sure. Over 360 school shooting attacks last year, 93 so far this year.. really amazing blessings.
I agree. And as the two buffon’s time will pass in due course and better leaders hopefully emerge, the woke, leftist fad will also have done it’s damage and moved on and intellectualism returned to more wholesome, cultured and benign role models.
Unchecked immigration and runaway demographics across North America is also an unknown quantity for the future of the ‘West’. A problem China and Russia luckily do not have. In tomorrow’s world ageing populations will likely prove to be the lesser evil.
I do not think you realise how bad things are in the US.
The USA is still an incredibly strong bloc, with massive resources, not least, of intellectual energy (and indeed the physical stuff), great drive, educational standards ahead of most of the rest of the world, huge research and development capabilities, and the amazing blessings of capitalism.
Her bad news at the moment is the two old buffoons scrapping to be President, but their time will pass; in a maximum of five years. Like the advent of Reagan in 1980 post the failures of Carter, with a little luck a leader will soon appear who can sooth and heal the divisions.
Hopium
Hopium
You’d hope our Emporers would learn from their mistakes when Yeltsin was in power – bring a post Putin Russia back in. Yeltsin was denied entry to the clearing banks and WTO systems, look what we got: Kleptocrats then Putin. If we let them play then 1. we can keep an eye on them and 2. They have as much to lose as we from any economic fallout.
You’d hope our Emporers would learn from their mistakes when Yeltsin was in power – bring a post Putin Russia back in. Yeltsin was denied entry to the clearing banks and WTO systems, look what we got: Kleptocrats then Putin. If we let them play then 1. we can keep an eye on them and 2. They have as much to lose as we from any economic fallout.
Very good piece on why changes to the international order aren’t coming any time soon.
Also, some rather foolish sub-Marxist reveries in the comments. Indeed, it’s been going on since at least the 1950s:
–The “third world” was going to economically surpass the First.
–Then radical Marxist revolutionaries were going to topple US hegemony
–THEN radical Muslims were going to destroy the First World’s “stranglehold” on the rest.
–Now the BRICS (finally!) are going to overtake and surpass senile old Europe and America.
FACTS:
–China is going to undergo the same stagnation as Japan saw from the 80’s on–and for the same reason. An inevitable population decline brought on by 30 years of the one-child policy. Simply too late to rectify.
–Brazil has even bigger political divisions than the states.
–India is stuck in the middle income trap, and the Hindu nationalist who runs the place would rather suppress Muslims than grow his economy or prepare for climate change.
–South Africa can’t even produce enough electricity to power its nation 24 hours a day.
–And finally, Russia is bent on a suicidal war, having squandered nearly all of its military on futile ground attacks on Ukraine’s cities, and even more futile attacks to freeze those cities out (they haven’t, and won’t). Read Russians like Strelkov and Kalashnikov for what’s really going on.
Every nation on earth could do with better governance.
But the ill-governed, mostly dictatorial nations of the BRICS and the Third World are the very last models any nation ought to follow.
The US and the EU do well, not because they have the best possible societies
But because they are better than all the rest…
Also because the USA makes all it’s own food and can supply all the oil we need to keep the lights on.
We can source labor and raw materials (especially labor) from Mexico and Canada (thanks, NAFTA!). Colombia, too.
Meanwhile Europe is hoping they can get along with each other (look to history for that answer) so they can fend off Russia.
China is, well, China.
Most nations other than the USA and our close friends are hoping they can find nearby trading partners to buy food, otherwise, they’ll be sitting by themselves, cold and alone, in the dark.
Also because the USA makes all it’s own food and can supply all the oil we need to keep the lights on.
We can source labor and raw materials (especially labor) from Mexico and Canada (thanks, NAFTA!). Colombia, too.
Meanwhile Europe is hoping they can get along with each other (look to history for that answer) so they can fend off Russia.
China is, well, China.
Most nations other than the USA and our close friends are hoping they can find nearby trading partners to buy food, otherwise, they’ll be sitting by themselves, cold and alone, in the dark.
Very good piece on why changes to the international order aren’t coming any time soon.
Also, some rather foolish sub-Marxist reveries in the comments. Indeed, it’s been going on since at least the 1950s:
–The “third world” was going to economically surpass the First.
–Then radical Marxist revolutionaries were going to topple US hegemony
–THEN radical Muslims were going to destroy the First World’s “stranglehold” on the rest.
–Now the BRICS (finally!) are going to overtake and surpass senile old Europe and America.
FACTS:
–China is going to undergo the same stagnation as Japan saw from the 80’s on–and for the same reason. An inevitable population decline brought on by 30 years of the one-child policy. Simply too late to rectify.
–Brazil has even bigger political divisions than the states.
–India is stuck in the middle income trap, and the Hindu nationalist who runs the place would rather suppress Muslims than grow his economy or prepare for climate change.
–South Africa can’t even produce enough electricity to power its nation 24 hours a day.
–And finally, Russia is bent on a suicidal war, having squandered nearly all of its military on futile ground attacks on Ukraine’s cities, and even more futile attacks to freeze those cities out (they haven’t, and won’t). Read Russians like Strelkov and Kalashnikov for what’s really going on.
Every nation on earth could do with better governance.
But the ill-governed, mostly dictatorial nations of the BRICS and the Third World are the very last models any nation ought to follow.
The US and the EU do well, not because they have the best possible societies
But because they are better than all the rest…
One thing’s for sure, Putin is now Xi’s poodle. Everything else is quite uncertain.
One thing’s for sure, Putin is now Xi’s poodle. Everything else is quite uncertain.
It’s pretty simple, really.
If you can create a Rule of Law nation that doesn’t allow crooks to steal most of the national wealth and sock it away in Switzerland, you have a shot at a better life.
If you create a society where one Dear Leader decides to do things like annexing other countries (China, Russia), or suppressing internal minorities (India, China), or steal most of the wealth for a very few (South Africa, Russia), most people won’t have a better life.
Although at least one of the leaders of the above will get a really cool billion-pound mansion.
But perhaps that’s all refuted by the Finnish and Swiss Colonial Empires?
The atrocities those two imperialist nations committed in Africa, South America and Asia were beyond belief !!!
It’s pretty simple, really.
If you can create a Rule of Law nation that doesn’t allow crooks to steal most of the national wealth and sock it away in Switzerland, you have a shot at a better life.
If you create a society where one Dear Leader decides to do things like annexing other countries (China, Russia), or suppressing internal minorities (India, China), or steal most of the wealth for a very few (South Africa, Russia), most people won’t have a better life.
Although at least one of the leaders of the above will get a really cool billion-pound mansion.
But perhaps that’s all refuted by the Finnish and Swiss Colonial Empires?
The atrocities those two imperialist nations committed in Africa, South America and Asia were beyond belief !!!