Japan didn’t magically fail.
The US has occupied Japan continuously since WW2. And wrote its constitution. So, it had root control in a way it never did over China.
I’d long suspected this was used to punch Japan under the table somehow. Then I found a book on the topic… 🧵
The US has occupied Japan continuously since WW2. And wrote its constitution. So, it had root control in a way it never did over China.
I’d long suspected this was used to punch Japan under the table somehow. Then I found a book on the topic… 🧵
https://twitter.com/dansblog1/status/1465789666116792323
@gladstein referred me to this interesting book called Super Imperialism by Michael Hudson.
Here’s his bit on Japan vs China:
mronline.org/2021/10/27/sup…
Here’s his bit on Japan vs China:
mronline.org/2021/10/27/sup…
The book is worth reading. It’s interesting because it has the ring of truth on many issues.
For example, the construction of markets is itself not entirely a free market phenomenon. Force is often involved. There is a “beyond good and evil” aspect to it. bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/bitcoi…
For example, the construction of markets is itself not entirely a free market phenomenon. Force is often involved. There is a “beyond good and evil” aspect to it. bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/bitcoi…
To address a few objections:
“Why would the USA do that to Japan? They are the good guys. They would only compete fair and square!”
International politics is a prison yard. And economic power leads to military power. The US preferred hikikimori Japan to kamikaze Japan.
“Why would the USA do that to Japan? They are the good guys. They would only compete fair and square!”
International politics is a prison yard. And economic power leads to military power. The US preferred hikikimori Japan to kamikaze Japan.
One way of thinking about US foreign policy is that the priests and warriors work together in an emergent way, despite their obvious differences.
Warriors invade the country, or get it to knuckle under. Then NGOs rewrite their constitution and keep them in a state of dependency.
Warriors invade the country, or get it to knuckle under. Then NGOs rewrite their constitution and keep them in a state of dependency.
https://twitter.com/balajis/status/1449937121892978691
By contrast to Japan, the CCP’s number one priority for decades has been to retain root access to their country at all costs. That’s why they banned foreign social media.
If FB & Twitter deplatformed Trump, they definitely would have done it to Xi. But Weibo can’t do that.
If FB & Twitter deplatformed Trump, they definitely would have done it to Xi. But Weibo can’t do that.
In all of this I am making no comment about the morality.
What happens with foreign policy is that one faction doesn’t want others getting too rich and another doesn’t want others getting militarily stronger. So it gets zero sum at the limit.
foreignaffairs.com/articles/china…
What happens with foreign policy is that one faction doesn’t want others getting too rich and another doesn’t want others getting militarily stronger. So it gets zero sum at the limit.
foreignaffairs.com/articles/china…
Btw, I certainly wouldn’t call myself an expert on Japan/US in the 80s, but I plan to dig in more after Hudson’s book.
In regards to how Japan could buy US debt while *also* seeing the yen rise vs USD, my current understanding is that both happened — but revaluation dominated.
In regards to how Japan could buy US debt while *also* seeing the yen rise vs USD, my current understanding is that both happened — but revaluation dominated.
https://twitter.com/balajis/status/1465908397086179331
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