In anticipation of my upcoming trip to China, a good friend & client graciously loaned me her copy of "China, Inc. "How the Rise of the Next Superpower Challenges America and the World" by Ted C. Fishman.
Although published in 2006, it is still required reading for serious geo-political observers. Alternating between history and travelogue, it poignantly describes the tidal flow of people between farms and cities, and how this drives policy-making.
It describes their transition from a government driven by ideology to one driven by practicality. Instead of their formerly "Imperial" attitude of exporting communism, they accuse us of remaining "Imperial", trying to export capitalism or still driven by ideology. The difference is their own unique version of "State Capitalism", with an aggressive industrial policy, which is anathema to our Free Enterprise system.
Fishman also speculates that the last century was the American Century, but this one is likely to be the Chinese Century. Another recent read was "The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century" by George Friedman. He believes the last 50 years of this century will be a return to U.S. economic domination. Unfortunately, he agrees with Fishman about the next 50 years.
As scary as this indispensable book is, I thank Arlene Lindsey for loaning it to me!
