Geopolitics
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I was chatting about this with family over the Holidays. Some of them were saying shit like "China is enslaving the African people". Didn't have all the receipts to dunk but managed to turn the conversation towards western media bias in reporting. Also specifically mentioned that over half of the world's mining companies are headquartered in Canada and discussed how unequal exchange works.
Will be sharing this article with them, thanks! :)
To add to that, I think one very good example of China lacking key characteristics of imperialism is Panama exiting the Belt and Road Initiative. Regardless of US influence, a true imperial power would've at the very least dragged their feet – but more likely, applied military pressure – to protect their investments. Instead, their reaction basically amounted to saying "that sucks, hope you change your mind".
Thank you for the example! I'll look into it :)
o7
How?
I started with some of the conditions included with IMF & World Bank loans. Mentioned that anything that prioritized self-reliance is discouraged, the effects of aid on local agriculture. Specifically called out Sankara & Burkina Faso since I knew that he refused aid and under his leadership living conditions were improving before he was couped. His successor accepted IMF loans and immediately fucked the economy.
They're sovereign nations that keep picking China, if we want to reduce China's soft power the only thing we can do is offer better terms than them.
I also mentioned the quote "Every time the China comes, we get a hospital. Every time Britain comes, we get a lecture."
Then from there talked about how the media reports on these issues. When China builds that hospital it might be reported to enslave the local economy, whereas IMF loans with absurd terms are reported as giving money away for economic development.
Thank you for taking the time to explain! Thanks for sharing the approach: these lessons can be valuable.
https://redsails.org/masses-elites-and-rebels/
Absolutely, every time I've tried to "debunk" a lie that someone's bought into it comes off as saying that "China can do no wrong". I don't think anyone is receptive to that message. Mentioning specific good things that they're doing and focusing on what we can learn from communist nations is much more palatable.
I've had this essay bookmarked for a couple weeks now, I should probably actually go read it 😅
The article was a game changer for me on "brainwashing" - it's a beautifully dialectical materialist take - along with:
And with that, that book too (Why the World Needs China: Development, Environmentalism, Conflict Resolution & Common Prosperity, by Kyle Ferrana)