"The biggest one is the fear [about a rising China} of loss of power. "
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I disagree with that. I fear a rise in authoritarianism. The government and a “president for life” are the embodiment of that. The people don’t have a say in who leads, which can lead to abuse and subjugation, usually for minority groups.
"The other thing is that a lot of people in the Western world see the West as in some way representing a moral apogee of human achievement - representing human rights, democracy, all good and positive things. I don’t see it that way. "
I also disagree with this. The West has horrible things to answer for, however with a democratic rule, it has the ability to change itself for the better. Perfect examples of this are, some western nations were slavers and colonizers. Both of those are historical relics as we evolved and recognized both the individual (the person) and the national sovereignty. Could this evolution happen under authoritarianism? Possibly, but there’s no way for the people to affect change. Its a hope that your authoritarian leadership comes around. That’s not a path I want to take.
Can you vote to stop your governments from enabling the genocide in Gaza? I don’t think people in the US can even vote for a free ambulance, and people in Canada are being offered euthanasia as healthcare. In reality a capitalist system with captured politicians that forces people to choose between the lesser of two evils and where they never get what they want is also authoritarian but with a theatrical performance of democracy.
Can you vote to stop your governments from enabling the genocide in Gaza? I don’t think people in the US can even vote for a free ambulance, and people in Canada are being offered euthanasia as healthcare.
Let me see if I understand your position. Because citizens can’t directly vote for a free ambulance, authoritarian government is a better choice? Is that your position?
No, my position is any state is authoritarian regardless of the theater that some engage in.
Here’s a point against your position.
On January 27, 2017, President Trump signed an executive order that banned travel to the United States for 90 days from seven predominantly Muslim countries–Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen–and suspended the resettlement of all Syrian refugees.
I don’t believe in discrimination against Muslims. Myself and millions of other Americans voted Trump out at our first opportunity 4 years later.
On January 20, 2021, newly inaugurated president Joe Biden issued a proclamation revoking the Trump travel bans, with the exception of the reverse travel ban prohibiting American citizens from traveling to North Korea.
No such thing would be possible in a “President for Life” authoritarian country.
I would very much rather be banned than be genocided which both are for.
Just so you know, even for-life leaders change their minds.
Just so you know, even for-life leaders change their minds.
I covered that already. Yes, you can HOPE for-life leaders change their mind. Good luck with that. How is that going for Muslim Uyghurs Of Xinjiang? Your article is talking about “making room” for China. The conditions the Uyghurs are being subjected to are the room that policy is advocating for. I’d prefer people aren’t discriminated against because they are Muslim.