Re: "rise of china" and wst

2/28/2001, David Smith wrote:
>The PRC is huge and it is rapidly "industrializing" (but certainly
>manufacturing isn't growing any faster than in Mexico, for example, but
>I doubt that folks would make similar claims about the "rise of Mexico").

Unlike Mexico, China has nuclear weapons and is engaged in a program of rapidly 
increasing the effectiveness of its strategic military capability.   Unlike 
Mexico, Chinese leaders believe their nation has a natural right to a 'special 
role' in its region.  Unlike Mexico, Chinese leaders make consistent and 
repeated territorial claims on a neigboring nation (Taiwaan).

>I must confess, I'm baffled by the suggestion that the "relevant data" would 
>be what US or Chinese leaders say

Is the intent of a nation's leaders irrelevant to the course that nation might 
take?  Consider...

3/1/2001, Boris Stremlin wrote:
>In this case, however, we have Wallerstein's explicit statement that we are in 
>a period of systemic transition, when traditional rules no longer apply, and 
>free choice dominates over established structures


still mystified,
rkm