Over the months since Putin began Russia’s “Special Operation” in Ukraine we’ve attempted to explicate the major changes in the world order that appear to be headed our way. Those changes are political, economic, and cultural in character, but their interrelatedness isn’t always evident. It’s easy enough to point to the disastrous effect the backfiring Western sanctions are having on the world economy—not least in American and the EU. Surely that’s a sign that the conventional wisdom of the West that Russia is something like a mere gas station with nukes is, and always has been, seriously misguided. The increasingly explicit realignment of Russia with other major parts of the world—China usually, and understandably, figures prominently in such discussions—is also easy to see, but it remains to be seen at how fundamental a level this realignment is taking place. Lastly, the clear conflict between a noisily proclaimed “rules-based order” in the West and Putin’s appeal to international law surely points to basic cultural differences—but exactly what is at the bottom of this is more difficult to enunciate.
It's late here as I read this and I'm tired but had to keep reading. Wow - you went on a philosophical deep dive. There's so much to unpack I'll read again with fresh eyes. Thank you for an excellent piece.
James Fallows was the pretentious crank who predicted the complete domination of the world by Japan . . just as Japan was falling apart. I've got his damn book here somewhere. I keep it to remind me that it doesn't matter how completely wrong you are about things, if you're ever anointed an "expert" by the U.S. mainstream media, that categorization seems to survive infinite errors on your part.
Excellent piece. It's been clear to me since my early professional career in manufacturing, that a vibrant a 'service economy' outside of the context of a strong manufacturing economy is an illusion. After List, building an economy on lending money to fruit buyers, selling fruit, drying fruit, packaging fruit, transporting fruit--none of this is possible without planting, nurturing, caring for the tree.
In a later futures market trading career, I was astonished by the incredible array of financial instruments that can be traded--even for someone without a Goldman Sachs-sized trading book. Almost none of what I did for those twelve years had anything to do with the tangible. An immense amount of time, effort, and money flows through the upper reaches of our economy with very little of it adding real value. Is it any surprise that we are hollowed out, financially and spiritually?
I see a connection between those that believe in our own Constitution as well as International Law in opposition to those who believe in a "living-breathing constitution" and the "rules-based order". The latter is a perversion of the former.
It's late here as I read this and I'm tired but had to keep reading. Wow - you went on a philosophical deep dive. There's so much to unpack I'll read again with fresh eyes. Thank you for an excellent piece.
James Fallows was the pretentious crank who predicted the complete domination of the world by Japan . . just as Japan was falling apart. I've got his damn book here somewhere. I keep it to remind me that it doesn't matter how completely wrong you are about things, if you're ever anointed an "expert" by the U.S. mainstream media, that categorization seems to survive infinite errors on your part.
One of your nest yet, Mark.
https://twitter.com/tleehumphrey/status/1536377134192545792?cxt=HHwWgMCiyaG3p9IqAAAA
Excellent piece. It's been clear to me since my early professional career in manufacturing, that a vibrant a 'service economy' outside of the context of a strong manufacturing economy is an illusion. After List, building an economy on lending money to fruit buyers, selling fruit, drying fruit, packaging fruit, transporting fruit--none of this is possible without planting, nurturing, caring for the tree.
In a later futures market trading career, I was astonished by the incredible array of financial instruments that can be traded--even for someone without a Goldman Sachs-sized trading book. Almost none of what I did for those twelve years had anything to do with the tangible. An immense amount of time, effort, and money flows through the upper reaches of our economy with very little of it adding real value. Is it any surprise that we are hollowed out, financially and spiritually?
I see a connection between those that believe in our own Constitution as well as International Law in opposition to those who believe in a "living-breathing constitution" and the "rules-based order". The latter is a perversion of the former.
There are several different foundations of Western Economic success that are being destroyed.
1. Security of property
2. One system of justice
3. Lack of corruption
4. Education
5. Free trade, not one government creates losers and monopolies.
6. Rule of law
7. Not strangling businesses with excessive regulation and taxes
8. Law and order
9. Nuclear family - an amazingly efficient economic unit.
I’m amazed at how cheaply China has bought our politicians.