Spinticipation

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Wright & Fukuyama
May 22, 2007

Fukuyama on self-fulfilling prophecies & history's actors.




China discussion:

Frank anticipates Doofus-Boy:

Fukuyama: as [China] gets economically, politically, and militarily more powerful, increasingly the way that we deal with global problems will be shaped by Chinese preferences. ... Over time, it seems to me that it's almost inevitable that [Chinese economic power stemming from their ownership of >$1T in US debt] is going to translate into political power; and we're simply not going to be able to run the world in the way that we've been used to doing.

Wright: Right, but it seems to me if we accommodate ourselves to that reality, if we accept that reality, we should be able to play it in a way that's not especially inimical to our interests.

Fukuyama: Yeah, well, we should. Yeah, in theory we should be able to do this. But this is the United States, and I think we just [laughs]; we've got a mixed track record in dealing with these countries that are neither friend nor foe. ...