For a guy who allegedly never reads (though I don't believe him), why did Matt choose that book to believe.
No explanation given in the cushvlogs. One week asked for recommendations, next week said he chose this one because it’s short. I believe he doesn’t read
A short book (especially one you disagree with) is a great thing to tangentially hang your own arguments off of and Matt loves to go off on tangents.
Having given the book a run through, I believe Matt's perspective on the world lines up with the author, and won't find much to disagree with. Have to wait and see though
Did he say he believes this book or that he's going to read it. My man loves to talk about the Taiping Rebellion so it's not like he's going into the discussion of Chinese history blind.
He doesn't think China will be the next hegemonic power, because he thinks there will no longer be a hegemonic nation state over the next 100 years due to things like climate change. Instead there will just be little fiefs administering crisis capitalism before total collapse and dissolution. I don't think it's a bad thesis, I don't know what the China Boom book is like though - is it on the "China will collapse tomorrow" side?
he thinks there will no longer be a hegemonic nation state over the next 100 years due to things like climate change. Instead there will just be little fiefs administering crisis capitalism before total collapse and dissolution
Tainter, Joseph A. 1990. The Collapse of Complex Societies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Why? You need a book that tells you third world Maoists will save the world, so western leftists like yourself can just sit on your ass and wait?
Feeling emancipated from this cloistered prison colony of a civilian because you know the good guys are on their way to save you.
Nothing wrong with wanting to find hope for someone somewhere in the world, and perhaps learning from it. Dumb take.
I feel like I have to speed read the China Boom to get the nuances of what the author is trying to say, before finding alternatives/ counterpoints. It doesn’t sound like the greatest book to learn about china, I believe Matt should have chosen something more substantial, but we’ll see
Here's a link to the book if anyone else wants to read along https://libgen.is/book/index.php?md5=FD858997601DEC774792AD52ED0BBEE6
Published in 2015, which should give perspective
The final paragraph which should give context:
"In the end, China is far from becoming a subversive power that will transform the existing global neoliberal order because China itself is one of the biggest beneficiaries of this order. It will not be exonerated any time soon for its role in facilitating continued dominance by the United States in the world through its supply of low-cost export and credit to the United States. If U.S. global dominance is going to end, it will not likely be fostered by China but by some other forces. To be sure, China has been reshaping and will continue to reshape the context of development in the developing world, bringing to other developing countries more favorable and competitive conditions for development at the same time. Whether China’s net impact will be beneficial or detrimental to development will vary from country to country and will change from time to time. In the short run and from the perspective of specific individual countries, China’s capitalist boom might seem like a game changer that will bring new prosperity, empowerment, subordination, or crisis. At the global level and in the long run, nevertheless, China is set to disappoint many who hail or fear the prospect of its challenging the existing global order in any fundamental way. "
