Superpower?

[tenni]

What makes a Superpower?

Is China now "the" world Superpower? One of two world Superpowers?



Here are some stats.

1/ China has 19% of the world’s population, but consumes ...

53% of the world's cement
48% of the world's iron ore
47% of the world's coal....
and the majority of just about every other major commodity.

2/ In 2010, China produced 11 times more steel than the United States.

3/ New World Record: China made and sold 18 million vehicles in 2010.

4/ There are more pigs in China than in the next 43 pork producing nations combined.

5/China currently has the world’s fastest train and the world’s largest high-speed rail network.

6/ China is currently the number one producer in the world of wind and solar power, but don’t use it themselves. While they manufacture 80% of the world’s solar panels, they install less than 5% and build a new coal fired power station every week. In one year they turn on more new coal powered electricity than Australia's total output.

7/ China currently controls more than 90% of the total global supply of rare earth elements.

8/ In the past 15 years, China has moved from 14th place to 2nd place in the world in published scientific research articles.


9/ China now possesses the fastest supercomputer on the entire globe.

10/ At the end of March 2011, China accumulated US$3.04 trillion in foreign currency reserves --the largest stockpile on the entire globe.


11/ Chinese people consume 50,000 cigarettes every second …

12/ They are already the largest carbon dioxide emitter and their output will rise 70% by 2020.

[LonelyLeo469]

In my Honest opinion they seem to be just be catching up. The U.S. was like that during our industrial age.

[biguy71]

I'd say the US is till the only real "superpower," but China is certainly making strides in that direction, especially economically. Their military really isn't much to speak of in a global sense, though.

[Annika L]

Hmmm...never heard of pork production as a superpower before...I would have expected something more like "ability to think 50 years into the future".

I don't think 6, 11, or 12 are evidence of super power status. But they are definitely a force to be reckoned with, and our current and past leadership has behaved shockingly irresponsibly by giving them so much economic power over us.

The USSR was considered a super power in the early 80's. I visited that country in 1984, and could see that technologically and quality-of-life-wise, they were ridiculously behind us. They collapsed 5 years later.

China's situation seems likely to be similar, with an important difference: in the 1980's, the US was not hastening its own self-destruction to such an extent. So we could well collapse before they do, leaving them holding a ball they are not well-equipped to hold.

[darkeyes]

Make no mistake.. like it or not China is a superpower... an emerging one surely, and in many ways not yet matching the status of the US but in others leaving it far behind... militarily no where near as powerful but the gap narrows every year and in a decade or so the US will be hard pressed to keep its massive superiority.. I very much doubt it is a good thing for humanity whether we have one or two superpowers, but it is an unavoidable development which may only be curtailed by what is expected to be a rapid decline in its population in the second half of this century.

What the rise of China is already doing is to offer an alternative to western democratic and liberal thought and many nations around the world clammer to their door and not the US.. and the numbers will keep on rising.. it is a challenge not just for the US but for all peoples who believe in some form of democratic and liberal government.. China is no longer what anyone could consider a communist state, not that it ever was, but it has bought into the western economic model for good or ill and is producing its own variety of that model.. the challenge is also not to consider China as an enemy but a different kind of state and understand that there will be differences between the west and east... but to work together for the good of humankind and the planet.

..and people must realise this... there may yet be a third or fourth... Russia has never lost the ambition to reclaim the status it lost with the collapse of the USSR and cannot be overlooked.. but India is the more likely candidate for it too is as ambitious as China and rushes ahead with its own industrialisation and is also making massive inroads into to predominance of the US.. what stresses and strains are placed on the relationships of nations and power blocs is not yet known but they will exist and it will be a sign of the maturity of all superpowers and all power blocs if they consider each other as friendly rivals rather than threats to each others pre-eminence. the lessons of history are there for all to learn.. the question is whether they will learn lessons which benefit humankind or will benefit but themselves.. and the lessons of history show that very often the lessons of history are very badly learned indeed by those who run nations and power blocs...

[tenni]

One point that has been made is the issue of military power. I do have to wonder if military might is necessary to be seen as a Superpower or it that left over "Cold War" thinking? Have we moved away from "do as I say or else I'll invade you and take over your government"?

Certainly, Economic power is a factor imo. The mixed structure of business in China is "different" from many in the West. There are companies that have a strong link or even direct link to the Chinese government. In Canada and I suspect elsewhere China is trying to "invest" or control various natural resources such as oil and gas companies.Last year it was Potash. A Chinese company tried to buy the world's largest Potash company and the provincial government interfered when the feds were more hands off thinking. Little known Potash is used for fertilizer. Controlling potash may lead to controlling food production and food production costs.

Further to that has been "suggestions" that certain Chinese companies link to the Chinese government politically. In other words, the suspicion that there is something mysterious about the relationship and spying on the Canadian government etc.

Combining the huge manufacturing aspect along with being in control of natural resources (suspect not just from China) indicates increasing world domination. The US has been an importer of natural resources and now finds itself in competition with China to access and control Canada's natural resource. YES, I know that the Canadian government should not permit this control and it is struggling with it. They are Conservatives after all and oppose government control. Its getting muddy and the PM encourages Chinese investment on one hand and not wanting to lose control of being in control of natural resources.

I agree with darkeyes that there has been a discussion about India's increasing strength. I've also heard about either Brazil or some other South American company quietly expanding and its economy is very strong. I don't know about Russia. With Putin in control, it seem that Russia has once again created its own form of government just as China has a different form of government. Human Rights in both countries are not as Western societies would like.

A Superpower seems to need economic strength to dominate. Some see military strength as another factor. Are there other factors when determining a Superpower?

[darkeyes]

Powerful rich nations having a strong military is something leaders like.. from ancient Persia and before, to Rome, to Spain, to France, to Germany, to Britain... to the US... and others in between... is it necessary for a superpower??? Nope.. but those who run rich powerful countries like it so they can do down less rich and powerful countries and cow them into submission and get them to bend to their will... it turns superpowers into bullies and it always has.... and such is the view of the world that China has historically taken, I very much doubt that they will prove any different...