So this is what I mean, why all the angst over climate change and none over these other issues? We tend to get to smacked with some pet project and forget about other, possibly greater, threats. It’s also why I’ve changed my tactics arguing with deniers. I’m leaving them alone on the CC issue but confronting them with other issues where the hard left/right dichotomy is not nearly so established.
Things I have a hard time understanding are Chinas large scale investment in USA government bonds and their investment in buying foreign land.
The effect of them investing in bonds is, I think, a significant stabilizing force. I freely admit I don’t understand much of this economics, but then I don’t think Economist understand much of the real world. But let’s suppose we went to war with China, say a ground or limited naval war. What is to keep the USA from welching on those bonds? So China is highly invested in making sure the USA is successful, and visa versa.
So China owns land in the USA. What does that mean? Say they raise soybeans and cattle. Are they allowed to export that product to China without export fees? I don’t think so. And would they be exempt from a general boycott on sending food to China? I doubt it.
In a more extreme scenario what is to keep the USA from simply nationalizing these Chinese held lands? Possession is 9/10ths of the law. The situation might be different in Africa and Russia gets real interesting. But China is far from alone in this plot, to buy foreign land.
I don’t know that India is purchasing land the same as China. They don’t feel the immediate food crush. Yet they may be in a more dire situation in even the medium run.
Now reflect upon the WEF Risk Analysis and you will see that they pretty much talk around these issues or flat ignore them. That does not give me a good feeling that anyone in a position of power is thinking this through very effectively.