Is China copying the old imperial Japan?

Townhall.com ^ | January 9, 2014 | Victor

[Kaslin]

In the 1920s, Japan began to translate its growing economic might -- after a prior 50-year crash course in Western capitalism and industrialization -- into formidable military power.

At first, few of its possible rivals seemed to care. America and condescending European colonials did not quite believe that any Asian power could ever dare to threaten their own Pacific interests.

[sickoflibs]

There are similarities.

[Timber Rattler]

Well, it’s ironic because old Imperial Japan originally copied Imperial China.

[gattaca]

bfl

[bert]

——China likewise senses growing American isolationism——

Such as is expressed here everyday over and over but.....

meanwhile, Chinese girls can sometimes be seen werating Daisey Mae’s

[Former Proud Canadian]

There are some differences between 1940 and 2014, of course, but he has the basic fabric down.

The next Pacific war might be a drone and satellite war of attrition. Who has the best and how fast can they be replaced? Right now, the US has the best quality. Can China replace their losses faster?

We live in interesting times.

[SeminoleCounty]

Only difference is the US funds Communist China via Free Trade...

[snoringbear]

“There are similarities.”

There are for sure. But, there’s one big difference; Japan was an import based economy, especially oil and metals. Conversely, China is an export economy who is dependent upon US and European consumers. However, having said that, the disruption of China’s exports could have the same end result as the disruption of China’s ability to export. China would have to devise a ruse to deal with the civil unrest that would explode across the country. And, historically, finding an enemy has been the most opportune solution. And, that enemy would be us - as in US. Gee, I’ve just refuted my opening comment. Wow! Does that mean I’m smart or dumb - or both? Lol :)

[sickoflibs]

RE :”Japan was an import based economy, especially oil and metals.”

China now too. That is what they are doing in Africa.

True, Japan didn't export products in 1930s like China does now, US didnt buy Japanese products till decades after WWII. but that wasn't even possible for any country to do what China does now back then.

Computers and internet is what makes today's level of trade possible.

[Little Ray]

It doesn’t help that that they’d be fighting their best market. Sort of a lose-lose situation.
It remains to see how long The Peace of Dives can be kept.

http://www.kipling.org.uk/rg_dives1.htm

The Peace of Dives

(1903)

THE WORD came down to Dives in Torment where he lay
“Our World is full of wickedness, My Children maim and slay,
“And the Saint and Seer and Prophet
“Can make no better of it
“Than to sanctify and prophesy and pray.

“Rise up, rise up, thou Dives, and take again thy gold,
“And thy women and thy housen as they were to thee of old.
“It may be grace hath found thee
“In the furnace where We bound thee,
“And that thou shalt bring the peace My Son foretold.”

Then merrily rose Dives and leaped from out his fire,
And walked abroad with diligence to do the Lord’s desire;
And anon the battles ceased,
And the captives were released,
And Earth had rest from Goshen to Gadire,

The Word came down to Satan that raged and roared alone,’
’Mid the shouting of the peoples by the cannon overthrown
(But the Prophets, Saints, and Seers
Set each other by the ears,
For each would claim the marvel as his own):

“Rise up, rise up, thou Satan, upon the Earth to go,
“And prove the Peace of Dives if it be good or no:
“For all that he hath planned
“We deliver to thy hand,
“As thy skill shall serve, to break it or bring low.”

Then mightily rose Satan, and about the Earth he hied,
And breathed on Kings in idleness and Princes drunk with pride.
But for all the wrong he breathed
There was never sword unsheathed,
And the fires he lighted flickered out and died.

Then terribly rose Satan, and he darkened Earth afar,
Till he came on cunning Dives where the money-changers are;
And he saw men pledge their gear
For the gold that buys the spear,
And the helmet and the habergeon of war.

Yea to Dives came the Persian and the Syrian and the Mede—
their hearts were nothing altered, nor their cunning nor their greed—
And they pledged their flocks and farms
For the King compelling arms,
And Dives lent according to their need,

Then Satan said to Dives:—”Return again with me,
“Who hast broken His Commandment in the day He set thee free,
“Who grindest for thy greed,
“Man’s belly-pinch and need;
“And the blood of Man to filthy usury!”

Then softly answered Dives where the money-changers sit:—
“My refuge is Our Master, O My Master in the Pit.
“But behold all Earth is laid
“In the Peace which I have made,
“And behold I wait on thee to trouble it!”

Then angrily turned Satan, and about the Seas he fled,
To shake the new-sown peoples with insult, doubt, and dread;
But, for all the sleight he used,
There was never squadron loosed.
And the brands he flung flew dying and fell dead.

But to Dives came Atlantis and the Captains of the West—
And their hates were nothing weakened nor their anger nor unrest—
And they pawned their utmost trade
For the dry, decreeing blade;
And Dives lent and took of them their best.

Then Satan said to Dives:—“Declare thou by The Name,
“The secret of thy subtlety that turneth mine to shame.
“It is known through all the Hells
“How my peoples mocked my spells,
“And my faithless Kings denied me ere I came.”

Then answered cunning Dives: “Do not gold and hate abide
“At the heart of every Magic, yea, and senseless fear beside?
“With gold and fear and hate
“I have harnessed state to state,
“And by hate and fear and gold their hates are tied.

“For hate men seek a weapon, for fear they seek a shield—
“ Keener blades and broader targes than their frantic neighhours wield—
“For gold I arm their hands,
“And for gold I buy their lands,
“And for gold I sell their enemies the yield.

“Their nearest foes may purchase, or their furthest friends may lease,
“One by one from Ancient Accad to the Islands of the Seas.
“And their covenants they make
“For the naked iron’s sake,
“But I—I trap them armoured into peace.

“The flocks that Egypt pledged me to Assyria I drave,
“And Pharaoh hath the increase of the herds that Sargon gave.
“Not for Ashdod overthrown
“Will the Kings destroy their own,
“Or their peoples wake the strife they feign to brave.

“Is not Carchernish like Calno? For the steeds of their desire
“They have sold me seven harvests that I sell to Crowning Tyre;
“And the Tyrian sweeps the plains
“With a thousand hired wains,
“And the Cities keep the peace and—share the hire.

“Hast thou seen the pride of Moab? For the swords about his path,
“His bond is to Philistia, in half of all he hath.
“And he dare not draw the sword
“Till Gaza give the word,
“And he show release from Askalon and Gath,

“Wilt thou call again thy peoples, wilt thou craze anew thy Kings?
“Lo! my lightnings pass before thee, and their whistling servant brings,
“Ere the drowsy street hath stirred—
“Every masked and midnight word,
“And the nations break their fast upon these things.

“So I make a jest of Wonder, and a mock of Time and Space.
“The roofless Seas an hostel, and the Earth a market-place,
“Where the anxious traders know
“Each is surety for his foe,
“And none may thrive without his fellows’ grace.

“Now this is all my subtlety and this is all my wit,
“God give thee good enlightenment, My Master in the Pit.
“But behold all Earth is laid
“In the Peace which I have made,
“And behold I wait on thee to trouble it!”

[DariusBane]

The good news is that Obummer is the smartest man alive and the smartest President ever. He will figure it out because his pragmatism always trumps ideology. Yes he can! He will. I just know he can! He is really cool... and black.

[Ghost of SVR4]

Free Trade is not such a bad thing, the major problem is China does NOT play by the rules and no one is calling them on it.

[Vigilanteman]

Next, I suppose we are going to learn that the Pope is a staunch Catholic . . .

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I was warned by an old China hand that westerners seem to be utterly incapable of grasping the nuances of China and “the Chinese Way”, so should be loathe to make assumptions about what is happening there.

What is important is to see what is objectively there, but to leave off from postulating what it might mean.

To start with, the Chinese military is dominated by what are in effect, hereditary warlords (sometimes called “princes”, in a derogatory manner). Within their military domains they have considerable autonomy. They also encourage much of the belligerent talk and outright threats that comes from China.

The subdivisions of China tend to get complicated, and have greater or lesser amounts of autonomy from the central government. These include:

22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities (large metro areas), and 2 special administrative regions. They claim Taiwan, other places and other islands as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:PRC_provinces_big_imagemap

[snoringbear]

I have to confess that thus is waaaaay beyond my mental capabilities. Could you possibly give me a “very” brief synopsis of what the heck this is about?

[Little Ray]

We’re China’s best market, they hold a lot of our debt, and have a lot of holdings in our country.

If the PRC goes to war against us and all of that is presumably forfeit for the foreseeable future. Win or lose, there is a lot be made by erasing those debts and seizing those properties.

The Peace of Dives is about keeping peace through international commerce - enemy nations are so tied together in commerce that, no matter how much they hate each other, they can’t make war against each other.

I suppose that that I should point out that this was written just a little prior to WWI - so it didn’t work...

[Cringing Negativism Network]

That is so true.

America, we are supporting our own most formidable opponent.

“Free trade” is building up China ... very quickly.

Bring back American trade. Now.

[RipSawyer]

Like, WOW, man, with a real cool dude like that runnin’ the show, what could ever go wrong?