When lawyers control a country
A controversial book titled... has recently been published.
China's Quest to Engineer the Future,
Or "China and the Quest to Build the Future",
By Chinese-American writer Dan Wang.
This book does not limit itself to a superficial comparison between the United States and China,
Rather, it delves into the depths of the intellectual and institutional differences that shape the two states' decisions in the twenty-first century.
The author's gist of the idea seems both shocking and simple:
- China is a nation led by engineers.
The United States is a nation ruled by lawyers.
China: Managing with an Engineer's Mindset:
In China, the vast majority of decision-makers graduated from engineering or applied science colleges. Beijing is governed by a mindset that views problems as mathematical equations, which can be solved through precise equations, system design, or the construction of a massive project.
It is therefore no wonder that the state moves like a machine: opening a valve here, closing another there, and everything is precisely calculated like a giant irrigation system.
This mindset may sometimes lack human flexibility or open dialogue, but it produces long-term plans that are implemented without disruption.
Thus, we see China building new cities in a matter of years, constructing thousands of kilometers of high-speed train lines, and making tremendous strides in the electronics industries, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and even in space exploration.
United States: Managing with a Lawyer's Mentality:
The United States, however, is a completely different story. Most presidents, members of Congress, and Supreme Court justices studied law or practiced law.
Even those who did not graduate from law schools -
Like Donald Trump, they have mastered the "lawyer's tricks": filing lawsuits, exploiting legal loopholes, and turning any case into an arena for endless conflict.
Thus, every step turns into a legal or political battle.
Infrastructure projects are discussed for years before being implemented, and even if they are implemented, they are hindered by lawsuits from pressure groups, human rights organizations, or affected economic interests. The result:
- Repeated postponement,
- Cost inflation,
Loss of ability to perform quickly.
As Congress engages in debates over issues of identity, minority rights, the environment, and animal rights, the United States' ability to build a long-term, inclusive national project is eroding.
Technical and scientific comparison:
The book presents concrete examples from industry and technology:
In artificial intelligence, Chinese companies like Byte Dance, Huawei, and Tencent are leading research and applications that sometimes outpace their American counterparts.
In telecommunications, China was the first to launch a widespread 5G network, while the West was mired in controversy over privacy and security.
In renewable energy, China annually builds solar and wind power plants with capacities exceeding those built by Europe and America combined.
The Weapon: America's Last Cracked Fortress:
Weapons remain the one area where the United States has undisputed superiority.
But the author reveals how this industry has deteriorated over the past decade.
Fighter development projects like the F-35 have become a symbol of delay and high cost.
- Warships that take the United States a decade to build, while China launches between 30 and 50 similar ships during the same period.
- US ammunition depots appeared nearly empty during the war in Ukraine and military support for Israel, as Washington was unable to quickly replace the losses.
What's even worse is that America has begun importing some essential materials and spare parts from Southeast Asian countries, and even from China itself.
Between the dollar and the weapon:
America has nothing left but the dollar bill,
Which forces the world to accept it as an international currency, even though it is just printed papers with no real value.
But with the rise of China and the growing role of the yuan in international trade, even this prestige may no longer be held by the dollar.
Lesson from history:
The book concludes with a call for reflection:
The twentieth century was an American century.
- The nineteenth century saw Britain and France extend their influence.
- The sixteenth century was Ottoman.
And before that, there were successive empires: Mamluk, Mongol, Abbasid, Umayyad, Roman, and Persian.
This is how God's laws operate on earth: a never-ending cycle of civilizations, and days that alternate among nations.
Today, the scene appears to be shaping up to be a distinctly Chinese 21st century.
With the trade war reigniting, and the probable cancellation of any meetings between the leaders of both countries, all eyes are again on the vulnerability of each side, the weaknesses and the strong sides of each camp, America being more vulnerable than what is generally thought and accepted, or with the same situation couple decades ago, the world itself is changing rapidly, and China and its partners are definitely changing systematically and methodically.
Translated from a forward in Arabic, a good analysis of a very factual situation, still developing between China and America, involving the entire world, it's all happening and taking place during our few years nowadays and in the coming years.
Maybe this should be obvious, but I link and forward articles I find provocative and significant, helping to better understand certain situations. Generally reflecting my ideas, but not necessarily always ones I entirely agree with.
My many thanks to all, stay safe and well.
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