Monday 25 October 2010

The Chinese Professor

A political advert from the United States that neatly boils down how to destroy a great nation in one easy lesson. The only flaw was in the conclusion. In the sort of international lender/debtor situation the United States and China are in, it's the lender who is the more nervous of the two. Far from "owning" the United States and making the Americans work for them, the Chinese would find themselves holding a load of worthless treasury bonds that the Americans have no intention of honouring. It's similar to what happened with Edward II I and the Jewish lenders that he'd borrowed a fortune from. Instead of "owning" England, the Jews found themselves banished and penniless.

China is such a candy-shell economy run by autocrats that I doubt if in twenty years we'll be seeing too many smug, smartly turned out Celestials patting themselves on the back as the new Masters of the World. More likely, they'll be wondering how to deal with living at the epicentre of an economic implosion that will make Japan's Lost Decade look like a Lost Weekend.

5 comments:

jayessell said...

Is USA debt protecting Tiawan?

[Sound of Red Army invading.]

[Sound of IOUs being torn up.]

Sergej said...

Wasn't it Longshanks?

Sergej said...

Oof. Just watched. I am no fan of Hussein Husseinovich and his buddies, I think their understanding of the way the world works dangerously deluded, and do not disagree with this ad in principle. But... an uncomfortable tang of xenophobia.

Ironmistress said...

I think it was Edward I, not II who told the sons of Abraham to kiss off.

The traditional Medieval way to solve the insolvency.

David said...

Wrong Edward. That's what I get for typing while watching old Max Headroom episodes.