Jason Hickel, a professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and author focused on global inequality, dives deep into China's complex history and its rise as a socialist state. He discusses the impact of China's revolutionary journey, addressing its achievements in public health and education. Hickel critiques the misconceptions surrounding China's economic evolution and its unique model compared to Western capitalism. The conversation encourages a reassessment of poverty alleviation in light of socialist policies and reflects on the narratives that shape our understanding of socialism today.
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Opium Wars and Colonization
During the Qing Dynasty, China was a major manufacturing power, accepting only silver for its high-quality goods.
Europeans, after depleting silver from colonies, resorted to opium to trade, leading to the Opium Wars and China's colonization.
insights INSIGHT
Hong Kong's Colonial Past
Western narratives often misrepresent Hong Kong's history, portraying it as separate from China.
In reality, Britain colonized Hong Kong until 1997, highlighting a crucial historical context.
insights INSIGHT
US Support for KMT in Taiwan
The US supported the KMT's violent, fascist regime in Taiwan, using it as a strategic base against communist China.
This contradicts the narrative of the US supporting a fledgling democracy against a bully.
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Globalization, Super-Exploitation, and Capitalism’s Final Crisis
John Smith
The Divide
A Brief Guide to Global Inequality and Solutions
Jason Hickel
Jason Hickel's "The Divide" offers a comprehensive analysis of global inequality, exploring its historical roots and contemporary manifestations. The book dissects the mechanisms of exploitation that perpetuate this inequality, examining the role of colonialism, capitalism, and global trade. Hickel proposes solutions that challenge conventional economic models, advocating for policies that promote economic justice and sustainability. He argues for a more equitable distribution of wealth and resources, emphasizing the need for systemic change to address the deep-seated inequalities that shape our world. The book's insightful analysis and practical recommendations make it a valuable resource for understanding and tackling global inequality.
Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World
Jason Hickel
In 'Less is More', Jason Hickel argues that the primary cause of climate breakdown and ecological collapse is the perpetual expansion demanded by capitalism. He advocates for degrowth as the solution, emphasizing the need to shift from a philosophy of domination and extraction to one rooted in reciprocity and regeneration. The book critiques the notion of 'green growth' and 'decoupling' and outlines specific policies such as cutting advertising, scaling back ecologically destructive industries, ending economic inequality, and expanding common goods. Hickel also explores the philosophical and ideological underpinnings of degrowth, drawing on insights from economics, anthropology, philosophy, and science to envision a more just, caring, and sustainable society.
Capital and Imperialism
Theory, History, and the Present
Utsav Patnek and Prabhat Patnaik
The world that we all grew up in is no longer a reality—although, in many ways, those in power are grasping onto it with the desperation of drowning men flailing, lashing out—furious, terrified, and in denial of what is staring them in their faces: imminent death. The rest of us are watching this process unfold before our very eyes—also terrified, but seemingly powerless. It’s a weird time to be alive. But when has it ever not been?
As we watch, experience, and feel the collapse of the state that we live within—or for those of us not currently living in the belly of the beast, the imperial world that this state rules over—it feels like an important time to explore this collapse. Specifically, it’s an important time to understand what’s happening in the imperial world order, and in order to do that, we must understand China.
In this conversation, we’ve brought on a regular guest—a guest who you all know and love—Jason Hickel, to talk about China.
In this conversion we first take a brief dive into modern Chinese history, looking at the pre-revolution period, the 1949 communist revolution itself, the Mao period, the Deng period, and the Xi period. We analyze what the rise of China means in terms of the current world order and the implications for the United States. We tackle some common questions and dispel some common myths about China—like, is China capitalist? Is it imperialist? We analyze some current events like trade wars and Tiktok bans, and finally, we explain why it’s crucial not to fall into the trap of U.S. propaganda when it comes to how we on the Western left analyze China.
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