Between Washington and Beijing w/ Tobita Chow & David Brophy
Added 2020-09-28 17:53:50 +0000 UTCIn a special episode recorded for The World Transformed festival 2020, Tobita Chow and David Brophy discuss how the socialist left should think about China, how to characterise China's economy and mode of governance, and what to make of the emerging Cold War between China and the United States and US allies.
Comments
Also, the dynamics of the situation come into play. Whatever we think of it, China’s method of organisation represents a ‘model’ - Viktor Orbán’s speech on illiberal democracy referenced it directly. It’s easily the most significant and, yes, successful of the authoritarian regimes. The thing, is that for all the bad things that are done, the chaotic United States or U.K. really doesn’t represent a ‘model’ now. We can say that decline of a unipolar world is welcome, but we can be alarmed at what is set to replace it. We need a non-aligned movement but only Europe - on a really good day - could do that.
Carl Rowlands
2020-10-01 06:40:51 +0000 UTCPaul Mason’s line is ... perhaps correct, if you consider China to be not just authoritarian, but totalitarian. If we were to accept that, I’d suggest it doesn’t change much in practice. We (or the ‘left’) would have minimal leverage over the military states in Western Europe from a position of enmity towards the CCP, as we do from the equally feeble position of ‘being less authoritarian ourselves’ (sorry if this caricatures, but you get my drift...). If China really is totalitarian, then anything less than opposition becomes appeasement. Perhaps this would be an interesting follow-up conversation?
Carl Rowlands
2020-09-30 20:05:12 +0000 UTCthanks Jane! And thanks for sharing on twitter.
Politics Theory Other
2020-09-29 22:34:31 +0000 UTCThat was really good. Thank you, Alex. I love it when PTO is about China. Always feel like I could listen to at least another hour, and these guests were particularly interesting. Thank you (again) x
Jane Pickering
2020-09-28 23:44:48 +0000 UTC
