The belief, in America, that the trouble is Communism rather than the rivalry of Great Powers would cause the Russians and Chinese to be quickly forgiven if they made a parade of ceasing to be Communist. Nationalism, which is the real cause of trouble, would remain, and there would soon again be a state of tension analogous to that which exists at present.
Source： Bertrand Russell: Human Society in Ethics and Politics, 1954, part II: The Conflict of Passions, chapter 8: Conquest ? n4
More info.：https://russell-j.com/cool/47T-2_0804.htm
* a brief comment:
During the period of intense confrontation between capitalist and communist countries after World War II (or after the Korean War), both the Eastern and Western blocs believed that peace and prosperity would be achieved under a new world order brought about by their own victory.
However, as Russell pointed out at the time, the larger issue was the rivalry between great powers. This has recently been brought into focus by the behavior of President Trump.
Militarily, Russia remains a major power due to its large stockpile of nuclear weapons, but economically, it has weakened to the point where it can no longer compete with the United States. Furthermore, its existing nuclear arsenal is aging, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to modernize or maintain these weapons.
On the other hand, China remains under the one-party rule of the Communist Party but is gradually incorporating capitalist mechanisms. With the spread of travel and internet access, more and more Chinese citizens are becoming aware of the affluent and free lifestyles in the West and Japan. As a result, China could undergo drastic changes in the next 20 to 30 years.
However, even if the world continues to become more uniform in this way, if the United Nations remains as powerless as it is today, the U.S.-China conflict could become inescapable.
President Trump, shouting "MAGA" (Make America Great Again), has been stirring up nationalism among the American people. His high-tariff policies, among other measures, are creating new tensions worldwide. If military power were not involved, this might not be a significant problem. However, the United States possesses overwhelmingly superior military strength, and military power is inevitably used as a means of intimidation.
Although Trump claims to dislike war, he is merely saying that great powers will not go to war with each other. When it comes to smaller nations, he appears to use America's overwhelming military and economic power to act amicably toward compliant countries while attempting to crush those that show defiance. This seems to be the essence of Trump's "deal-making" strategy.
Will Trump continue to charge ahead without correcting his course throughout his term?
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