Anonymous wrote:Authoritarian governments are often highly effective in the short term—especially for large countries.

Over the long haul, they are a bit like tea kettles without a spout. Less noisy, but without the occasional venting of steam, they are vulnerable to catastrophic failure.

Democracies are always messier in the short term.

This is boomer thinking

Read Jennifer lind’s new book

https://www.hks.harvard.edu/events/autocracy-20-how-chinas-rise-reinvented-tyranny

The new confluence of factors regarding technology and capital are changing your old tired tropes

Spanish premier urges China to take bigger role in multipolar order
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/spanish-premier-urges-china-take-bigger-role-multipolar-order-2026-04-13/

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday said China should take on a more substantial role with issues including climate change, security, defense ​and the fight against inequality, adding that Europe will also have to ‌redouble its efforts as the U.S. withdraws from leadership roles on many fronts.

Sanchez, who is making his fourth visit to China in four years, spoke at Beijing's Tsinghua University

His visit comes as ​many Western governments seek to maintain engagement with Beijing despite lingering security ​and trade tensions. It follows visits to China earlier this year ⁠by the prime ministers of Britain, Ireland, Canada and Finland.

Spain has been one ​of Europe's loudest proponents of expanding trade and treating China as a strategic ally ​rather than an economic and geopolitical rival.

Sanchez said China could do more in terms of fighting climate change, promoting global health, controlling the development of responsible artificial intelligence as well as nuclear ​weapons.

"For example, by demanding as it is doing, that international law be respected ​and that the conflicts in Lebanon, Iran, Gaza and the West Bank and Ukraine cease," he ‌said.

"Europe ⁠will also have to redouble its efforts, especially now that the United States has decided to withdraw from many of these fronts."

Anonymous wrote:Authoritarian governments are often highly effective in the short term—especially for large countries.

Over the long haul, they are a bit like tea kettles without a spout. Less noisy, but without the occasional venting of steam, they are vulnerable to catastrophic failure.

Democracies are always messier in the short term.

And you think democracies are built for the long term? We didn't even make it a 100 years before a civil war. Other countries dip in and out of democracy or have it managed by a monarch.

Authoritarian governments are often highly effective in the short term—especially for large countries.

Over the long haul, they are a bit like tea kettles without a spout. Less noisy, but without the occasional venting of steam, they are vulnerable to catastrophic failure.

Democracies are always messier in the short term.

Having just spent time in several Asian countries (democracies and otherwise), the idea of US exceptionalism is a joke. Truly. People who think otherwise have simply not traveled enough, and also fall into the trap of thinking the isolated things they read about on the news about a country are the full picture.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:America's "democracy" is a lie and it's unchecked greed and capitalism that has destroyed America.

Explain why AI tech costs hundreds of millions in America and China created the same for far, far less. And they made it faster.

It's well known that China just steals American research and creates cheap knockoffs.

Not entirely accurate

so? do you remember when the Chinese had a 2 resources that powered their economy that it was illegal to export but the west used the defference paid to monks to trick them and steal those resources? do you also remember when the british royal family fought a war over their right push drugs (opium/fentanyl) on the Chinese population despite it being illegal in such large amounts that it caused large scale social and economic disruption? this only happened 150 years back, its not really lost in the mists of time. I dont see the Chinese arming cartels and american drug dealers to support fentanyl distribution but that is what the western powers did in china.

So are you saying China didn't win yet?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:America's "democracy" is a lie and it's unchecked greed and capitalism that has destroyed America.

Explain why AI tech costs hundreds of millions in America and China created the same for far, far less. And they made it faster.

It's well known that China just steals American research and creates cheap knockoffs.

Not entirely accurate

so? do you remember when the Chinese had a 2 resources that powered their economy that it was illegal to export but the west used the defference paid to monks to trick them and steal those resources? do you also remember when the british royal family fought a war over their right push drugs (opium/fentanyl) on the Chinese population despite it being illegal in such large amounts that it caused large scale social and economic disruption? this only happened 150 years back, its not really lost in the mists of time. I dont see the Chinese arming cartels and american drug dealers to support fentanyl distribution but that is what the western powers did in china.

It's always excuses excuses excuses
You sound like Trump, bizarrely.
"We're the best, the bigliest, the awesome-est, and it's all your faaaaauult that anything goes wrong"

Anonymous wrote:The prob with US is it can't just be itself - it has to beat every other country or be the "best" country of all or whatever - other countries? They just are. We need to be thus and that. How about we focus on running our country well and our citizens healthy and happy before comparing ourselves to anyone else??

+100
American Exceptionalism is a toxic mindset, one drilled into us since preschool.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:America's "democracy" is a lie and it's unchecked greed and capitalism that has destroyed America.

Explain why AI tech costs hundreds of millions in America and China created the same for far, far less. And they made it faster.

It's well known that China just steals American research and creates cheap knockoffs.

Well, luckily for us Trump, is ruining science and research and education and the economy and freedom, so China won’t have anything to steal soon.

luckily for us, the Trump era in politics will end soon and then the GOP and Dem Parties will have a chance to put forth a normal American leader who will put China in their place. Don't hold your breath considering the recent output of these two parties.

Haha! Both sides! Lmao!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:America's "democracy" is a lie and it's unchecked greed and capitalism that has destroyed America.

Explain why AI tech costs hundreds of millions in America and China created the same for far, far less. And they made it faster.

It's well known that China just steals American research and creates cheap knockoffs.

Not entirely accurate

so? do you remember when the Chinese had a 2 resources that powered their economy that it was illegal to export but the west used the defference paid to monks to trick them and steal those resources? do you also remember when the british royal family fought a war over their right push drugs (opium/fentanyl) on the Chinese population despite it being illegal in such large amounts that it caused large scale social and economic disruption? this only happened 150 years back, its not really lost in the mists of time. I dont see the Chinese arming cartels and american drug dealers to support fentanyl distribution but that is what the western powers did in china.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:America's "democracy" is a lie and it's unchecked greed and capitalism that has destroyed America.

Explain why AI tech costs hundreds of millions in America and China created the same for far, far less. And they made it faster.

It's well known that China just steals American research and creates cheap knockoffs.

Maybe 20 years ago. Now they have passed us bye. Look at the numbers.

2021-2025 Trends: China's valid domestic invention patents exceeded 5 million, leading in 29 of 36 technology fields.

China Patent Grants: 1,044,777 (2025 projection)
US Patent Grants: 603,194 (2025 projection)
Total Active Patents: China (5.7M) leads the US (3.5M)

China vs US
2024 -1,044,777 324,042
2023- 921,000* 312,746
2022- ~798,000 323,410
2021- 696,000 327,307
2020 -530,000 352,008


I think is is cute that you have no idea was is going in China but feel compelled to post about it.

Ouch, son. China has more than 1.4 billion people, which is about 4 x that of the US. And you're bragging that they have about 1.7 x as many patents?

If you're indicative of how China teaches math and stats, they have a lot of work to do to catch up. Start with mathematics.

Anonymous wrote:The prob with US is it can't just be itself - it has to beat every other country or be the "best" country of all or whatever - other countries? They just are. We need to be thus and that. How about we focus on running our country well and our citizens healthy and happy before comparing ourselves to anyone else??

The "problem" with the US is having their political system and Federal Government ruled by two corrupt, weak, and dysfunctional political parties. This has become obvious to Americans who pay attention.

The prob with US is it can't just be itself - it has to beat every other country or be the "best" country of all or whatever - other countries? They just are. We need to be thus and that. How about we focus on running our country well and our citizens healthy and happy before comparing ourselves to anyone else??

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:America's "democracy" is a lie and it's unchecked greed and capitalism that has destroyed America.

Explain why AI tech costs hundreds of millions in America and China created the same for far, far less. And they made it faster.

It's well known that China just steals American research and creates cheap knockoffs.

Well, luckily for us Trump, is ruining science and research and education and the economy and freedom, so China won’t have anything to steal soon.

luckily for us, the Trump era in politics will end soon and then the GOP and Dem Parties will have a chance to put forth a normal American leader who will put China in their place. Don't hold your breath considering the recent output of these two parties.