China

[DramaQueen]

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5980498

What do you think?

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http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2014/06..._mass.html

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[Anomalocaris]

There is great benefit to being part of a powerful unified state in a world of powerful competing states. No state ever got to be powerful and unified without extensive and brutal bullying. There is the most profound truth in statecraft to the saying that one can't make omelets without breaking eggs. Some simply willfully forget how many eggs they had enthusiastically broken when it suits them to pretend they never broke any eggs.

The only difference amongst powerful states is how sanctimonious some states can get, perched as they always do upon privileged position they had only attained by the path of bloody bullying that they had not long ago tread, as they talk from a presumed moral superiority down onto other states seeking to attain similarly privilege position using very similar means.

This is why I don't question the morality of the Chinese are doing in Tibet, nor what the Russians are doing in Ukraine, only whether what they do is good for long term balance of power in the world or not.

[stonedape]

China values unity above all. They have no natural resources and heavily rely on contested areas like Tibet for water. That's why they will not tolerate independence movements of any sort. They're still Maoist commies. Mao was a leftist, but had an open contempt for laissez faire classical liberalism.

Hong Kong is the Laissez Faire capital of the world, for better or worse. It has zero natural resources, but great trade relations and cheap labor. There are no tariffs, price controls, wage laws or regulations. The middle class is booming there, but the poor are completely fucked. Oddly enough HK leadership actually sees that as a positive, to motivate workers and it works to an extent. I'm guessing the umbrellas disagree. Most of them are destined for the poverty trap even after graduating from higher education.

If Beijing lets Hong Kong do as it pleases, then (edit) Shanghai will be next and of course Tibet. China is a very diverse country with a one party centralized government. It's an unmanageable design.

[Anomalocaris]

Singapore is not part of China, and has never been part of China, even according to china.

[stonedape]

Singapore is not part of China, and has never been part of China, even according to china.

I meant Shanghai. LOL.