China Fantasies
There is an interesting debate-as-article in the journal Foreign Policy titled “What’s Your China Fantasy” that delves into differing opinions concerning US-Chinese relations. It seems to me that anybody that thinks the US can successfully dictate domestic policy in foreign countries through economic (or military) means has not quite grasped the idea of globalization or sovereignty. If properly promoted, ideas like democracy and human rights will float or fail on their own worth.
There is a role for applying pressure on countries to align our interests, but the best pressure is cultural pressure. When it comes to winning hearts and minds, the PC is mightier than the sword. Policies that gently encourage engagement and integration with the world will succeed long before policies that require it. Every Blackberry owner knows that connection comes with compromises. A good example is Google agreeing to censor the internet for China, but in doing so they are able to provide services that will make total censorship of ideas more difficult (like free email to foster communication and the nearly uncensorable YouTube).
One should not overlook what our long-standing base in Guantanamo Bay and invasion of Iraq suggest: a nation’s adherence to international ideals is ultimately à la carte anyway.
foreign affairs posted by: dan @ 22 May 2007 15:54