The BRI global map is interesting in that apart from North America, Western Europe , India, Aus & parts of South America ,
the rest is in it to a greater or lesser extent; including Japan & NZ. Its just perplexing how China has managed to
incorporate all of Africa & the M/E in its BRI; regions where massive population & economic growth is expected
over the next 50 years.
This type of economic colonisation is similar to how the US post WW2 managed to colonise most of the globe with the exception of the USSR & China, IMO. except that the USA did it mostly via multinational corporations & its newly globalised USD rather than government to government
as the Chinese are doing now.
Of course the USA led by the CIA installed friendly overseas regimes and debunked others via its
military might. China hasn't taken that route yet and it will be interesting to see how it deals with debt default and/or foreign
nationalisation of its overseas assets.Lets face it, African countries dont have the morality of first world countries when it comes
to capitalist notions of honouring debt etc.
IMO, the danger now to the West (non BRI members) is that while it has to face China's industrial & trade might, it has at the same time
rewin the hearts & minds of its own citizens with a fairer deal so that there is not such monstrous gap between the rich & the poor.
When I worked in the USA I noticed that the poor were 100% occupied living hand to mouth without the normal welfare
state security blanket and proper health services. This was like economically terror, IMO and on a street level seemed
to justify all kinds of crime once there was a buck in it.
At present over 40 million USA citizens/residents are on food stamps;thats one eight of the population .
This is causing enormous social stress, IMO, and in the longer term (given the wealth
gap is still increasing) this is a greater risk to "the US Way of Life" than any external threat. In other words, for the USA
to demonstrate internally & externally that " the US way is the best way" it simply has to pull out its finger and do something
about it. IMO as the Chinese people (of which the majority have been raised out of abject poverty within a generation) further
improve their material lot, we will likely see impoverished people globally saying "Me Too" .
IMO the USA has historically sold "The American Dream" very successfully, perhaps the emergence of China out of poverty
may now put pressure on Uncle Sam to deliver that dream. IMO, this is why Bernie Saunders and others are at least been
listened to rather that bunged in jail for McCarthy type Socialist subversion. I guess Biden is gong half ways by debunking
Reganism form of Neo-Liberalism and going on a FD Roosevelt 1930's style of Government Infrastructure spending &
moves to level the playing field.
How stupid is it for a State like Oklahoma to have a small business minimum wage of $2/hour!
And If the USA wants o be the the global leader of democracy & progressive capitalism, then it should
at least lead the way with the minimum wage . Its called judging the system from the bottom up!
https://www.citizenscount.org/news/how-does-nh-compare-minimum-wage?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI06Sogu3t8QIV1wRyCh3wTgSnEAAYAiAAEgKOaPD_BwEAll IMO only.
