What Are Your Thoughts On China Becoming The Next World Superpower?

[DrunkPickle]

The world is changing pretty quickly now, and with each decade America is more and more behind. Yes, it is still the current superpower, but all great empires eventually come to an end (just like the Greek and Roman societies fell apart). Civilizations that adapt the most quickly to the world's demands rise to power; and China has no problem with that. The Chinese adapt extremely quickly, and on top of that, there are A LOT of them. With that in mind, it would make sense to assume that China will become the world's next superpower within the next 100 years or less - perhaps even during our lifetime. So, what do you think about all this? Do you like the idea? Do you hate it? Are you afraid? Or do you doubt this will even happen? Perhaps you think a different country will come to rule? Please Share your thoughts...

Personally, I would actually like to see this happen, although I don't necessarily support it. I'm really disappointed with the current position of the world - most people are lazy, slobby, overweight, and lack decency. And I think America is setting a wrong example (no offense intended). I may be wrong, but I believe China could fix, or at least improve this problem. It seems to me that Chinese societies are more disciplined, and that's what we need - discipline.

 

[DrunkPickle]

Yes, I didn't realize I was in the Gaming section when posting this, my bad...

 

[Monkeyman O'Brien]

I do not mind it as as you said, most of the world is being taken over by lazy fucks who expect everything handed to them, most often as a result of slave labour. So China having more influience would be a good thing in that regard. Get people making themselves useful again.
But then again, the Chinese govt are even more fucked up than usual and have a long history of brutality and censorship that I want no part of.
So good for the world, bad for the poor schmucks in it. Good thing they wont take over until long after I am dead.

 

[Lucem712]

SNIP

I think it's a bit scary, but what's unfortunate about China is that their one-child policy works REALLY well. (Sure, you can have more than one, but who can afford the fines associated with that?)

Which is to say that China's coming generation is going to be crushed under their elderly (Sort of like Japan, but for different reasons) it also doesn't help that the genders are uneven, and rape and kidnapping are becoming common place (Because men can't find wives) and can only get worse. (Mostly in rural areas because of boys needed to do hard labour)

Buuuut, this is also the country that uses live ammo during army combat training, so, they don't seem to be hurting too much for population.

 

[Hal10k]

"Superpower" is a very vague term. It would be pretty easy to argue that China, as it currently stands, is already a superpower, at least from an economic standpoint. China is the largest trading partner of many other civilized countries, and would be able to make a great deal of waves if they were so inclined.

That being said, there's more to a country than just its GDP. You also have to look at its GDP per capita (currently ranked 90th overall, below Jamaica), literacy rates (better, but still not as good as they could be), and the other factors that make up a country's basic standard of living. China isn't doing as well on that front as it is on brute force economics. Their successes can mainly be attributed to their gigantic workforce, which increases their industrial capability, but comes at great detriment to their political power & academic capabilities, which in turn limits their capability to culturally influence other countries.

The idea that China is going to somehow "take over" anything that isn't a third-world country is also patently false. Chinese & foreign business owners are making far more money simply trading with each other than they would make in a petty resource grab, meaning their economic leaders wouldn't want to pursue anything blatantly imperialist, and, as stated, they've got a long way to go before they're capable of any cultural imperialism.

In short: beats me.

 

[PinkiePyro]

i think the next superpower will be india personally like china india has a vast population
china may seem like the next but look at their pop. demograthic a large chunk of their numbers are older and so the chinese population may have a crash soon..

where as india has an equally large population and is more stable

 

[pilouuuu]

I hate it. No offence intended and I hope to mantain all due respect to that all people from that millenary country, but I hate China's life style, where people have no rights, children are forced to work and all its overpopulation. It's just an economic superpower because it's so populated and they create bad-quality copies of american products. Hardly how I want our world to become. I'm not happy with its state, but China becoming a bigger superpower would be awful for humanity.

 

[TheSteeleStrap]

I knew I wouldn't be the first to ask "why is this in gaming discussion?" so I'll just say... Have they not already been considered a super power? They already make everything.

 

[Veylon]

I have serious doubts about Chinas long-term viability, let alone it's superpower-hood. They have to import vast amounts of raw materials; face large costs of caring for their elderly (though I don't rule out extreme measures); have major pressure of rising expectations, which could explode into revolt if the 8% growth promise isn't kept; have an excess of nationalism, which may force the government into a pointless and destructive war with Taiwan; and have a increasing growth of both government control and corruption, which may strangle the economic miracle they need to survive.

I must question the assumption that Chinese society is "disciplined". While they are in the verb sense that the government does severely discipline people, you also have issues where people spend 18 hours online, there's the growing "little emperor" syndrome among the large cadre of single children, rule of law effectively doesn't exist, and the Party itself has deep problems with nepotism and general corruption that the Center doesn't seem able to solve. Don't be fooled by mass parades and staged cheering crowds. Any dictatorship can put on a decent show of solidarity right up to the last month.