I don't think I have rose coloured glasses on - I think it's fairly obvious that there's ways of doing business
eg.
American
Chinese
Roman
Chinese build trading pathways - why? because they want to buy and sell stuff to others
Roman - they did business and spread their empire by negotiation - they would send negotiators into a place. They would say - well, look, we need to get from A to B - and we need a road. So, we can build a road through your place - if you wish.
For that, we will give you walls around your city, which we will pay to expand. Sewerage, water. We'll have an army to protect you, your city and your farms and fields and forests and lots of these good looking blokes wearing shiny stuff about all the time.
For that, all you have to do is to be Roman ----------whadda you think?
then, there's America - who come in and if they can't buy the leader, they arrange to have them 'removed', or they start financing rebels one way or another. Then they might offer their 'aid' - which in the end, all amounts to the same thing - normally your place is raped of weath for your people, but there's some really wealthy people at the top - as long as they comply. And more often than not - in the end, your nation ends up in ashes. Along the way, their industry sells heaps to the army - who goes and kills people, because it's good business - or they sell heaps to their government who send the stuff to other armies to go and kill people, because it's good business
for me - I mark the Chinese at about 9 out of 10 for having a pretty good idea
Romans - yeah, mostly about 9 out of 10
America - sometimes has got a 1 out of 10 - mostly, they don't even get on the board.
rose coloured glasses not needed - just read history and look about what's happening right now
