The New Cold War | John Mearsheimer | Tom Switzer | CIS

In his new essay for the New York-based Foreign Affairs magazine, Mearsheimer argues that the US and China are locked in a dangerous security competition, more perilous than the first Cold War. In essence, once China grew wealthy, a US-China cold war was inevitable. Had US policymakers understood this logic in the early 1990s, they would have tried to slow down Chinese growth and maximise the power gap between Beijing and Washington.
However, the US did the opposite: it pursued a policy of engagement, which aimed to help China grow wealthier - based on the assumption that China would become a democracy and a responsible stakeholder, which would lead to a more peaceful world. Instead of fostering harmonious relations between China and the US, engagement led to an intense rivalry.
Is Australia and the world in deep trouble? Absent a major internal Chinese crisis, Washington and Beijing are consigned to waging a dangerous security competition. Can we manage on the margins to prevent disaster?
John Mearsheimer is professor of political science and international relations at the University of Chicago and author of The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001). He was a guest at the Centre for Independent Studies in 2019.
Host: Tom Switzer is executive director of the Centre for Independent Studies.
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[@qzhang25]

Prof Mearsheimer: US will never be defeated by any other nations but by itself, just like Soviet Union was really defeated by itself, not by USA. From what I can see, that date is not really very far.

[@sw9276]

And the only thing they can do is to blame China.

[@zephira994]

US needs to address main basic issues like illiteracy: according to US department of education, 21% of US adults are illiterate or functionally illiterate. How can people votes when they do not understand basic issues. Is this illiteracy planned so as people can be easilly manipulated? Is it the new US democracy?

[@churblefurbles]

​@@zephira994 Better question is why unqualified franchise is a thing at all, was a corruption of the founders intention. The rights of a citizen mean nothing now, there is no connection to any skin in the game. 84% of Chicago public students graduate when only 26% are proficient in reading and math, it is the state of "liberal democrat" dreams, home state of Obama himself, they are unable to diagnose themselves as they are the problem.

[@zephira994]

@@churblefurbles "84% of Chicago public students graduate when only 26% are proficient in reading and math" It's a American problem. All big parties are ruled big big corporations, American people just elect the ones chosen by Corporate America. Don't forget that corporate America sold all US worker jobs abroad.

[@churblefurbles]

@@zephira994 No, that was unqualified franchise, where the mob is allowed to vote on other peoples pocket book, and so they are bought, and then the politicians are bought, and they buy the votes with the peoples own money, and then they get the idea to import votes whole sale, this happens because of universal suffrage. Second order effects are no concern for the irresponsible in what becomes a rental car system, and no, corporations don't control Chicago, they flee Chicago.

[@mels2829]

What I have taken from this interview is: America wants to remain the world superpower forever, at the expense of other countrys' interests. In particular if you are a developing country, it wants you to remain poor and weak forever.

[@waytofall6980]

every country would do the same thing if they can

[@kaziqta5053]

Truth be spoken.

[@conniekabasharira7084]

@@waytofall6980 China seems to be using that approach with Africa, win-win situation. USA is short sighted, there's a saying that "if you're digging a grave for your enemy, dig two"

[@jeffboyd9301]

Not what he is saying at all. He is saying that PRC is a bad actor and it did not make sense to help it grow into a powerful country. Now the world is more at risk of future wars and the West has to spend lots more money on military spending than it would otherwise. The hope was that PRC would evolve into a good world citizen and instead they keep threatening Taiwan and assisting Russia's expansionism. I didn't see it happening and still can't quite believe what PRC is doing.

[@michaelbacqalen1109]

"Democracy is a poor system of government at best; the only thing that can honestly be said in its favor is that it is eight times as good as any other method the human race has ever tried.” - Robert Heinlein US is undoubtedly corrupted but it is still better than a dictatorship. You know that social media in china is heavily scrubbed of opposing view and views that does not tow the party line. In CCP china, a person like the John Mearsheimer, that is critical of the US government's action would not exist for long, let alone decades at a top US tertiary institution. Do you know what is happening in Shanghai right now? People are starving and are at their wit's end. The US may not always have everyone's best interest at heart but they still have some decency and normalcy to their policies

[@GlenDiG1970]

This is the absolute diamond of a good interview! Wow!! JM has always had my all round respect, but the interviewer (Tom Switzer) needs 1000% credit for the fantastic professionalism he showed. Brilliantly thought of questions and giving his interviewee the opportunity to answer the question fully, than to annoyingly constantly interrupt like so many interviewers nowadays do!! A HUGE mark of respect just from me alone!! This was very enjoyable to watch. Thanks guys!

[@C6BD]

Since discovering M. Mearsheimer a few days ago on youtube he has become one of my favorite scholars.

[@mikec7373]

Same bro, same.

[@johnfranklin8319]

Me 2! 👍

[@normvlqtte6512]

known him since 2014 and he is an eye opener, it is insane how his knowledge is helpful in understanding the world, it feels like our politicans would gain a lot from him too

[@mikec7373]

@@normvlqtte6512 you've known him longer. U win

[@sumerianastrology]

Likewise!

[@billcook2177]

bottom-line: US will never tolerate the existence of a peer competitor, whether its USSR, Japan, EU, or China

[@xiyang8989]

"liberal democracy" "human right defenders" only want good things for themselves, everyone else should stay in hell.

[@wanghui562]

The US has no choice. It must. Hard power is hard power.

[@abdimohamed8640]

@@xiyang8989 u have nailed it.

[@xiyang8989]

@@abdimohamed8640 shame on US and its allies, never have the gut to reflect on their guilts and unlawful doings to other nations, and yet, always believes they have the moral high ground

[@jasfa4292]

Absolutely right, that's the essence of the question, because the US corrupt politicians want to dominate the top of the ecosystem, it's their instinct to increase gap between the top one and the second, or else they will use what ever it can to contain the second from being powerful enough to challenge the top one in their sense

[@hughw3894]

“if we help China grow economically,,,,designed to make it richer & wealthier.....” or hey, there is a big market, and so many workers, and, aren't they cheap... just because one has a messiah complex doesn't mean he's been helping out all the time

[@Davos-st8ok]

You're clueless. There were a tons of liberals in the foreign policy establishment who argued for trade liberalization with China and helping China gain membership to the WTO simply for strategic security reasons along the lines of liberal theories such as the democratic peace theory.

[@hughw3894]

@@Davos-st8ok Sure. I'm with you - security concerns may play a bigger role than money. And liberals, yeah I suppose there are people who get convinced by their own speeches. Despite the number of people who allow some difference between what they are saying they act for and what they really act for.. A point put in today's context, Ukraine & Taiwan. One w democracy, the other w democracy & TSMC.

[@speedm.8946]

Dw. It’s just an expression. They never reflect what made them suddenly rich 200 yrs ago. The Anglo Saxon always stand in a higher point looking at other civilisations. They always better.

[@68mustangfastback]

His book “The Israel Lobby and US foreign policy” is a MUST READ for anyone interested in the Middle East and US foreign policy

[@ExtremePacifist]

The third rail, and its sad how he apologizes every time he brings it up, begging for and groveling to the apartheid state of Israel. And nothing ever changes, the control over all of our lives by those chosen psychopaths has only increased.

[@huajiluhai]

Thank you! Will check it out

[@jenniferfar]

He's genius. I suggest reading his Foreign Affairs 2014 (september/october) on why the Crisis in Ukraine is the West's Fault. Near prophesy, EXCEPT, Mearshimer did not think Putin would invade Ukraine. But he did.

[@Thomas-wn7cl]

Yes

[@amansingh2652]

Is it openly available?

[@AF17-]

@@amansingh2652 Here's the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKOwmoaHdqyCiZY idk if the link works for you guys since KZbin seems to be c3nsoring this video even since the fighting began :/

[@janfm8670]

Is he talking about Ukraine in this interview? Do You remember which minutes? Thx

[@tseringangchuk5420]

You are so beautiful😍

[@fridgemagnett]

Liberal democracy has not been kind to Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, all those S.American countries, Vietnam, Laos, etc etc. So why do we claim the moral high ground?

[@44bett]

We are hypocritical, arrogant and mean-spirited.

[@hughmungus2760]

Mearshimer throws out any pretense of moral highground when he said that china (and by extension all the chinese) should have been kept poor and weak for the sake of maintaining US hegemony.

[@anonymousaustralianhistory2081]

But look at South Korea, Japan, post war Europe. Iraq was a blunder and liberal democracy isn't moral perfection but it's limits on centralised power and freedom of speech reduces the potential for evil that is unchallenged in totalitarian societies

[@davidhawley1132]

Are you linking, or worse conflating, success and take up of a worldview with its moral value?

[@kaneo3243]

It's not that liberal democracy fails in 3rd World Countries. It is that it is chaperoned by high class criminals masquerading as humanitarian compatriots. As you relax your guard, they corrupt and steal you blind. This is the story of America and emerging democracies. If you have any doubt, I urge you to read John Perkins, "Confessions of An Economic Hitman." The CIA is an institution for destabilizing 3rd World economies, & Countries. Cosmetic democracy rooted in monopoly capitalism will always result in social upheaval. The whole idea is to create a "managed anarchy" to the benefit of the managing super power. It's easier to fish in troubled waters.

[@yurigansmith]

I like Mearsheimer's honesty. No bs talk about human rights, only pure ruthless power politics in order to keep the others at the bottom by any means.

[@wyz9815]

So agree! US is simply such a hypocrite, it portraits itself a light house of "human rights" while it doesn't allow Chinese people and people from any countries they don't like from having a better life. Perfact example is what US has brought to Afghanistan people? a war torn suffering country after 20 years occupation in name of demoncracy and protecting human rights? Australia also plays a ugly role in it! No war waged by US is not in the name of human rights. the truth is, US's dominance of the world is above the human rights of anyone else in this world, so they can impose their will upon everyone, sanction, regime change, kidnap, assassinate, or simply bomb anyone who dare not follow their order. Westerner media using their progagada hegemony to bombard the world with fabricated lies so that a bully is forever portraited as the good guy while the bullied an evil one. I respect Mr. Mearsheimer's honesty about the true nature of US hegemony, but honesty is of no meaning without the guidiance of human conscience. we should against any war, be it cold or hot, that aims just to keep one own hegemony on cost of wellbeing of people of the world.

[@andy47456]

Yes, John is VERY blunt. Much needed in this dumb news media landscape.

[@mbvgvskvrs868]

In the context of this discussion, substitute China for the Soviet Union, India for China, to understand what the future portends for India once they help AUKUS sabotage Chinese development. I hear Indian KZbinrs talking of a strategic partnership with the US and I laugh out loud. These are the bad guys. It's out in the open now - they're calling China a beast. If China is a beast for seeking to lift itself out of poverty, the developing countries in the global south, including India, are all beasts. There is no future scenario where India has a positive outcome that does not have India and China on the same side. Divide and conquer is how the west wins its wars. Australia, a country geographically located in Asia, has proven that it's not "Asian" by uniting with others on the other side of the world to form AUKUS to abort the Asian century. India, a country sharing borders with China, has sided with AUKUS, a neo-colonial genocidal conspiracy that is historically responsible for the economic and social-political quagmire from which India is struggling to extricate itself. China has excelled by bursting out of the straight-jackets the west had tied them down with such as dictating how the Chinese should govern themselves. Instead of learning from China about how to free themselves, India has let brotherly envy blind its vision and is in a strategic partnership with AUKUS to force China back into the straight-jacket. For India, a strategic partnership with AUKUS is an oxymoron.

[@andy47456]

@@mbvgvskvrs868 India will not be ruled by China, the U.S., India, Japan, Australia and perhaps Russia will make sure China stays put. You earned an extra 50 cents posting that comment, it was a good try. And if the CCP is so great and wonderful why don't they hold an election? Why doesn't Xi stand for office? Could it be perhaps because he would lose? See, we can't take you seriously until you have an election. And if the CCP won I would respect the result.

[@luqmanbello2343]

@@andy47456 why waisting time on rigged elections by corporate elite?

[@joekatsala]

Discovering Mearsheimer is probably one of the best things that happened to my study of world politics

[@1emilianonicolas]

Bro in god he predicted everything 6 years ago and his theory went real to the letter. He's a really informed guy.

[@joekatsala]

Very well informed, you can tell he actually believes what he's saying

[@thr0waway]

Mearsheimer has a long history of this but right now he might be doing the most important work of his life. He needs a bigger platform. Maybe somebody should hit up Joe Rogan...

[@josephturner7305]

I second this...boy do I wish I went to school at UofChicago, realism is so out of style out west

[@lieshtmeiser5542]

Unfortunately, after Ukraine has been invaded, occupied, and violated, its apparent that he was just another 'useful idiot'.

[@Jackthecandlestick]

john shows an interesting side here, in that he expects Australia feels threatened by China. Why should they be? Australia and China trading heavier and security pact. This is John's pro American side showing, in that he rathars Australia side with US instead of China. Also confused as "Feed the Beast" why is US not the beast?

[@romantiefenbacher3385]

This is my problem with his perspective as well, he even makes the point that great powers foreign policy is largely defined by geography and so, not so much political system and ideology, right? So where is the difference between the beasts?

[@numbawan9527]

@@romantiefenbacher3385 Because America as a superpower is mean,aggressive,greedy. So they think China will be a mean,aggressive, greedy beast.

[@christopheradodo4718]

Basically he is regretting publicly over the growth of China. He could no longer hide his hidden selfishness which is detrimental to humanity. And Africa is a good example of their sinister behavior. But you can not keep people down forever and China has refused to be kept down forever.

[@Al-ng2wn]

ASEAN knows what power is USA and Australia is. They are scums pretending to be good, google Australia witness "K". If ASEAN did what Iran and Venezuela by kicking them out, they will have regime change or corruption scandal leaked. Some ASEAN countries are actually accomplice/partners in crime to western powers, they are using China as a counterbalance to push for bigger cuts.

[@zephira994]

@sweet heart "...but I do NOT think the us will win this one. " China industrial production already exceeds US, Japan, Germany industrial productions combined. When FDR restarted US economy, US was still main industrial producer in the world. Today JB reminds me Boris Yeltsin and the US looks more like former Soviet Union economically.

[@leeweekang]

His regrets reveals clearly his evil intension that had he known China would rise, it would be contained and defeated early. its sama as that sayung if I cannot have rice to eat I will put sand into your rice too to skil your meal. very evil indeed.look at how USA goies around threatening Afizan nations not to progress via BRI of China, yet not offering alternatif es.

[@lutherblissett9070]

@@leeweekang Had he known? He first wrote about it in the 90s. Hobson wrote about it in 1902. It wasn't a secret, and it wasn't unpredictable.

[@Davos-st8ok]

Another ignoramus projecting his ignorant takes instead of educating himself. How pathetic. John Mearsheimer's thesis is decades old, i'm not sure what 'hidden selfishness' you're referring to. His theory of neorealism pertains to great powers so Africa has no relevance whatsoever. Its easier to spout nonsense instead of educating yourself.

[@gracejones2955]

Are you saying: it was America that made China wealthy? Then tell me which country made America wealthy? Tell me even furthermore would America please make the whole world wealthy?

[@Jellostyle]

China makes America wealthy. Dreams are made in China

[@Alice-hh5kd]

Ironically today Australia export is dependent on China market.

[@Jellostyle]

@@Alice-hh5kd China is the factory of the world and Australia is the provider of resources for these factories and the USA is the biggest consumer as well as Australia. So yeah.

[@xiyang8989]

"liberal democracy" "human right defenders" only want good things for themselves, everyone else should stay in hell.

[@Starwarrior9831]

@@xiyang8989 they didn't call out Canada for genocide of the first nation people. This statement is not true. They are selective human rights defenders.

[@joseluissabori8108]

As a Mexican, after listening this American scholar, I can only say that no country in world can try to progress and develop to be sovereign and prosperous with out being a "threat" to the United States; which makes to think that this nation is the most interested in keeping most countries in the planet condemned to poverty and backwardness.

[@dorinpopa6962]

That's what I thought as well. When he said that Australia would not like to be in the situation where China dominates the region like the US does in the Western hemisphere. So let's look at the Western hemisphere and find what he is implying. He is talking about a policy where the immediate neighbours are completely dominated economically by the US and rival cooperation groups like Mercosur are stifled. Canada is in a good economic state because economically and population wise it is far smaller and provides a lot of raw materials that the US needs for its industry and construction sectors. Mexico is the cheap labor manufactory and any country south of it is either a market for their goods or a supplier of immigrants that keeps the US demographic situation stable and provides (again) cheap labor. Independent economic and political initiatives are always punished in that space.

[@kulpotwahu1634]

That is what power means... Your in the top of the foodchain, top of a traingle, top of the mountain

[@RobFeldkamp]

yes, but he presents it as strategic terms, not moral terms. He is a scientist not a diplomat or politician.

[@beastmode6609]

bingo

[@branimirvidmarovic1649]

Mearshimer is fantastic. Being an academic studying China's FP, I would fiercely disagree with some of his statements of the nature of Chinese FP (future) behavior. Yet the way he makes his arguments is so profoundly deep, honest, and coherent that one could listen to him for hours. I have only deep respect and superlatives for this great mind.

[@volvoxfraktalion5225]

I ja sam ga otkrio skoro i zaista je jedan od najrealnijih spoljnopolitickih analiticara.

[@stephenpongaus]

The reality is stark, where would you want to live? Place where if you are white, rich and privileged. Or if you are non-white, middle class and average? Just who want to be the foot soldiers of all the bloody wars? Who are you fight for? Empire/hegemony or your family?

[@Andy-P]

@@stephenpongaus You fight for your comrades. That has kept armies together throughout history.

[@lepetithotel]

I would strongly agree.. as a New Zealander..I see Mearshimer as trapped himself by his America centric views. Even just studying China 1.01 reveals one of the principle drivers of their modern cultural spirit is the understandable feelings they still endure after what is loosely called their 100 years of Humiliation that they suffered at the hands of principally the British and the Americans... He also fails badly in his postulates in that he never considers that the US just may have to concede that with China running a system of govt where 90% of the population are not registered as communist party members, just might naturally run past the US in several aspects including economically.

[@JagannadhGosala]

@@lepetithotel What makes you think he does not understand where China is coming from? What did he say to that affect? He knows that China will run past US, he just said that is the danger for US. It does not matter what the reasons and justifications for that are, all that matters is practical results in his philosophy.

[@davidchin35]

Who started the new Cold War? Who tries to avoid that Cold War? Who has been in hot wars for 224 years of its 240 years history ?

[@liechinmannorman5140]

you have asked the pertinent questions that are conveniently ignored by these warmongers.

[@ericrogers5802]

The vast majority of China’s long history has been war and instability. Their most stable time in history has actually been now, in the post-WWII order, established by the Americans. That order is coming to an end, however.

[@hendrang1]

it's the beast, US.

[@frankyuanzx]

​@@ericrogers5802 In most of the main dynasties in China, there were 50-80 years of largely peace period. As a large country, yes, there were border conflicts and small scale internal chaos, just like Americans still fight here and there, and biker among themselves. Otherwise, China could never have a population of over 400 million in China at beginning of 19th century. Yes, Europe is more advanced since 18th century, but they did fought too much bloody wars constantly, this constrained population growth and gave US good chance to expand in West Hemisphere. If it was not blood-thirsty of the West, the whole world is still their colony and most in Asia, Africa and part of America are slaves and Europe. The West histories on WW I and WW II are at least partially bullshit, to put it simply, those West nations fought so hard for their interest and pride, and there was really no much moral to talk about. The Europeans weakened themselves too much and gave US best opportunities to be the most powerful. Why not, US has a large territory, vast resource and largely enjoy peace for very long time in her land, people moved to there, people built there. US became a superpower not because of wars, but mainly due to enjoy of long period of peace and continuous domestic development which no other major countries in Europe and Asia had (Remember Chile used to be richer than US until 20th century.). Except for short period during 1970s to 1980s before the fall of Soviet, US never intended to help China sincerely, it is just China can give US the best deals, and this helped to raised US GDP per capita compared that of West European countries, because US can turn their technology advance into very cheap products to dominate world market to beat Europe and even Japan. If it was not for China, US would have to compete hard with EU economically and the overall size of world market would be smaller than what we have today. China became more developed because of cooperation with nations include US, why on earth would we prefer to abandon this formula? I think it is true that some of our leaders just knows too little about USA and want to be respected by the West as equal (That will not happen easily, I think US even does not think EU is an equal partners from time to time. US has a cowboy culture and very paranoid.), without getting their own house cleaned first (This is always the mentality of leaders who face no election (which brings natural legitimacy) but have to work hard to get respect(even worship) internally or externally to get some legitimacy. After all, the human nature is same in every culture.). For people born from 60s to earlier 90s, US was more like beacon to follow just like what the earliest settler Winthrop once hoped. Today it is hard to think like that for many of us. Maybe we human beings will never avoid the curse of wars and annihilations. Science gave us material richness, but teaches nothing historically.

[@MrKongatthegates]

Fuck around and find out lmao

[@Gasanwu]

I love John Mearsheimer, there's not an ounce of pretence with human rights, democracy, and other ideology b.s., this is straight-up power politics.

[@themsmloveswar3985]

Which side are you talking about? Both sides have misbehaved.

[@scipioafricanus3324]

I like him for the exact same reasons. I cannot stand those who try to justify our (Western) foreign policy with this clearly fake BS about how we are doing X Y and Z for humanitarian purposes. No, we are going to take your shit because we manufactured a fighter jet that can incinerate you if you give us too much grief. Humans are wicked and evil and there is no one who is right.

[@Scotto-nm6vf]

The realist school is about power politics. It originates with Richelieu’s maxim that the state has no morals.

[@Carstininvestments]

"... not an ounce of pretence with human rights, democracy, and other ideology b.s...". You mean, he sounds just like the Chinese.

[@Gasanwu]

@@Carstininvestments He's the realist American that is not afraid to say what U.S. has really done in the past 150 yrs.

[@rukiasbankaii]

so happy to see Mearsheimer gaining a larger audience in light of the recent events...scholars like him deserve a larger platform and should be heard

[@paulmills3418]

What a load of Hogwash

[@rukiasbankaii]

@@paulmills3418 peepeepoopoo i bet you inhale american propaganda on a daily

[@paulmills3418]

@@rukiasbankaii Only when I am intoxicated

[@ICreatedU1]

I agree. Chomsky comes to mind too. The problem is that the counter-culture and anti-establishment sentiment that embodies their opinion is unfortunately only popular in academic circles, not in the public opinion arena wherein passion and populism rule. It is much easier, faster and more convincing to claim the other is a monster than it is to take the time to understand the infinite nuances of a chaotic reality and finally realize that the so-called other is just another you.

[@get2113]

Don't include me in his audience. Who can take this preaching seriously?

[@herindoors3552]

Thank you for the mention of John Mearsheimer what a fascinating human being he is, I could listen to him all day.

[@fa0806]

US in its 262 years only 16 years not AT war small or lrg. What that indicates ? which one is more crazy ?

[@grahamlyons8522]

Frans, so true.

[@lawrenceralph7481]

Which one wins?

[@fa0806]

@@lawrenceralph7481 the mankind killing weapon usa makers the winners

[@lawrenceralph7481]

@@fa0806 Many things have killed far more people than nuclear weapons, including the 1918 flu and SARS-CoV-2. Human nature of leading large groups is violent. Indeed a thoughtful review of their use in defeating WW2 Japan, shortening a war by at least a year, in which 100,000 Japanese civilians were being each killed each day, suggest that the great terror vaccinates the otherwise warlike foolish among us to seek peace lest we & all we love surely perish. And for believers, the judged are likely dammed.

[@chenpu1]

@Class is Fundamental Yes, I completely agree with you; if the CCP is the source of China's woes, the Chinese people can fight it.

[@johnwang9923]

I was born in one of the poorest province in China in 1946. My parent brought me to Taiwan before I turned two. Life was hard in Taiwan at the time. I still remember the feeling of being hungry when I went to bed in the night. Life, however, improved rapidly as I was growing up. This was not because Taiwan was a Liberal Democracy, but rather it was a benevolent dictatorship. The government of Chiang, father and later son, truly did its very best to better people’s life on the island. It’s also the result of the hard work by the people there. By mid 1980s the economy of Taiwan was the envy of Southeast Asia. Singapore had a very similar experience. President Lee Kuang Yeuw was most definitely a dictator hell bent on wanting a better life for the Singaporean. I came to the States to attend graduate school in 1969. I hated what Moa was doing in the mainland at the time. The cultural revolution was going strong at the time and it was destroying China. I admired the political system in the U. S. And would rate it 10 out of 10. My admiration of our so called liberal democracy and its political system was, however, eroding with time as I learned more and more about it. My dear fellow American, we can not and should not forever be the center of the earth. We should not be so arrogant to think our political system is a true liberal democracy. We have a long way to go. Any system that can produce a president such as Trump has a very Long way to go. We don’t have any moral ground to lecture others on human right. Nothing is higher than human life in terms of human right. Last I checked we have lost more than a quarter of a million life right here to the virus. A more competent government would and should have done a much better job.

[@KGold53]

This is an incredibly impressive comment. And one that shows the best quality that America’s future leadership and foreign policy establishment can have is humility. Not arrogance, as is the trait of so many American “Exceptionalists” such as the interviewee in this video. The path to the future for mankind in the 21st century has to be shared and cooperative, not confrontational “power politics” based on a military chess game. Mankind has the capacity to destroy itself with nuclear weapons. War is obsolete, especially between great powers such as US and China. Cooperation and stable, friendly relations is the only long-term option that guarantees the security of humans everywhere. One more thing: The US must clean up its own house and improve its internal political system so that corrupt demagogues like Trump can no longer rise to power. Until then, the rest of the world will not consider the US credible or trustworthy.

[@meejinhuang]

It's still a superior system than Communist China. You agree, because you haven't moved back to China.

[@stevenchoo3509]

You're lucky to be alive and hv not killed by those non-asian.

[@frankw2900]

John Wang throws in a few generalized platitudes, but he doesn’t really know America or what kind of mess led to Trump being elected.

[@frankw2900]

@@KGold53 Please give one example of Trump demagoguery on the international stage.

[@emmanuelopoku-yeboah9759]

Two amazing human beings teaching us about how our world works, sadly but truly!

[@jacobjorgenson9285]

name me a time in history when the world was not falling apart?

[@ela7893]

"We aren't dealing with the Soviet union here, we are dealing with Russia." - if only more people woke up to this realisation.

[@vagabondxbbe]

@Bud Mangeski wEsTeRn DeMocRAcY🥴

[@dinos9607]

@@aineguemik It is not a regime. Putin may indeed have a strong hand on the country's media but he is still genuinely a popular leader enjoying the support of at strict minimum the 60% of Russians, a rate that western politicians can only see in their dreams. Russians just love to have one powerful guy up there, that is how it works for them.

[@Petal4822]

The Ukrainian military and far right Azos military. Killed and abused 14,000 innocent ethic Russian civilians in the genocide of Donbass, Eastern Ukraine. Between 2014-2018.

[@Petal4822]

Ukrainian President Zelensky is worth over a Billion … Corrupt Oligarch ‘Igor Kolomoisk’ is a multi-Billionaire who put in Zelenskyy to be his puppet. 25 Bio-labs sponsored by the US…Hunter Biden became Ukrainian energy advisor and pocketed millions. Ukraine is being used by corrupt Leaders & Oligarchs as a money making machine . When the West go to war there is always a commodity in abundance that the greedy globalist are trying to get there hands on.

[@dinos9607]

@@Petal4822 It is even deeper than that. The US interest in Ukraine it tied up with the Great Game, i.e. the geopolitical clash of the British Empire with Russia which of course in the past century was inherited by the US. It is McKinder Heartland Theory (Geographical Pivot of History) 1-0-1. US works better with an isolated Russia that does not trade freely with the war. As such the US wants to revert to a new Cold War situation.

[@vivatan13]

Who will billed you out in 2008 if China was not powerful financially ?

[@lawrenceralph7481]

We borrowed 5 T against our future from ourselves in our own currency and produced our way out of it, sheltering people and institutions effectively to avoid a 2nd multiple year depression. It worked.

[@keyboardmanyoutube3189]

@@lawrenceralph7481 yea, American can do it again without China’s help this time. Let’s believe it

[@lawrenceralph7481]

@@keyboardmanyoutube3189 Wake up. The US just put $ 5 T of internal deficit funded support denominated in dollars into the COVID stalled economy in the last 2 years. They have another $0.25 T per year in the works. Plus the Fed increased their support by almost $5 T. That's about 3x all of the support of 2008. The US can and does take care of itself and it's protectorates. We need nothing from China. We like their crap, but we do not need it. The West would be better off if the CCP was a hermit kingdom as well.

[@jaytee4482]

@@lawrenceralph7481 yup, keep printing that $ 24/7, do not stop! No, need nothing from China but kept importing cheap stuff from China? Who are you kidding?

[@lawrenceralph7481]

@@jaytee4482 The future will be what it is. Adjusting to the new cold war is straightforward for the US. As the West did in Berlin from 46 -51. Trump presented this fait accompli to markets during his term. Biden hasn't changed a word. Cold War isolation by the west is the future. All CCP-subject produced items can be replaced. It is only variety, cost and convenience that is involved, little is irreplaceable. It's not opium. It's expendable stuff readily made in reliable western counties that do not threaten their neighbors. The regional alliances build the fences. cCP regional threats build the motivation. US can replace supply. Can China replace markets? And if they develop internally with small outside destruction, who cares as much? With less contact their future CCP-approved can't learn in Western colleges. With less contact CCP- resident producers can't steal as much IP.. With less contact US based investors cannot get hurt by fraud or capital flight rules out of the mainland. With less contact poor health practices in the middle kingdom will not grow into pandemics. With less contact fewer US university voices and Congressional family members will be bought by CCP -subject institutions. With less contact US people can know they don't support the tyranny of CCP leaders "mob boss"rape, exploitation of the Chinese people victims. With less contact fewer body organs harvested from executed dissidents will be put into transplant patients. Sounds good to me.

[@yongdeng1813]

To use the word”HELP” isnt exactly correct, this dude knows that. The US saw the huge market in china and cheap labor that would beneifit the big companies in the us, it is all about the MONEY! And to be frank, the us companies profited tremendously during the 90s and part of the 21st century. And of course china also becomes richer and more anvanced in tech. the question is as the guy said or many other westerners, does the US really think that china will become more like the US after china’s rise?? If the US thought that way then she made a STUPID mistake, because china will never ever be loke the US!! The US think tank didnt know what the fuk they were thinking or doing….is it too late now?? You bet! So US better orepares for a more mutilateral world that what she used to see or experience.. end of the story!

[@davidhawley1132]

Motives are always mixed.

[@didiermontagnier6114]

That’s exactly the point he’s making. The West was stupid to think China would play nice after it helps China to get rich. You trust a Chinese at your own risk.

[@phenixwutao]

China is busy with building and making new employments; USA is busy fighting and destroying. That's the facts.

[@tp6306]

Without Chinese Market, US was doing much better in over two hundred years, so you instantly lost this stupid argument.

[@madsam0320]

@@tp6306 US economy was stagnant for years before, but almost doubled since China entered the WTO. Even if China becomes a liberal democracy, or ‘play nice’, there will still be a conflict of interest because China is a peer competitor to the US. Hegemonic US doesn’t tolerate a peer, nor a competitor.

[@georgekostaras]

One thing I would like to hear from Prof Mearsheimer is what exactly would have happened if the USA had supressed China? Actions don't happen in a vacuum. The USA manufacturing base had been declining since the 70's due to corporations rationally deciding to outsource jobs. Is it fair to say that supressing China would have hurt the USA due to lack of cheap manufactured goods? Edit: and I hate to be a contrarian but wouldn't the USA be more competitive with China if they cut their military budget in half and put that money towards education and healthcare?

[@jeffberlin4179]

Doesn't look like that rational moving Americans manufacturing to China, is working out so very well. In the long run.

[@georgekostaras]

@@jeffberlin4179 No but most corporations seldom think farther ahead than the next quarter

[@francoisehembert3243]

Us capitalism has moved on where manufacturing is no longer necessary to make money which is now done exclusively in%by Wall Street.

[@leeanderson2912]

Good Points.

[@intothemoat]

Even after all the outsourcing, the US manufacturers were not able to compete with Japan back in the 80s and 90s. Those industries were meant to die anyway because they were not the better product. The biggest capitalist failed to understand capitalism

[@joelc3255]

Its nicely refreshing to see honest analysis without pretendence, but I am going to have several unpopular options here. M Mearsheimer's argument is more aligned with American interest than Australian or other Western ally countries - but don't get me wrong, I don't blame him for that, if I am American I would do the same. But since I am not American, I have different options. First I like to think both Democracy and Communism doesn't exist anymore, it's more of a slogan, all countries run basis on capitalism. Issues like human rights/freedom is not factored here in realism debate, I don't want get into why, if you are here then you should understand its just a story for the chattery class, and not important to decisions of Deep State (hope I heard the term right). With this established, it's easier to understand why Deep State helped China grow in the 90s. Like M Switzer and Mearsheimer said, if China is still in proverty, the American would be less prosperous, and prosperity is the most important factor in capitalism. Also this prosperity feed mostly the 5% on the top of the food chain, so they didn't really act in best interest of America but rather their own pocket. The other unpopular option is Australia might be better off as neutral. Same case as Ukraine now, sided with US and a war was fought in the vicinity, and the fighting took place in their soil and not American's. Its the locals that suffer, and there is no real impact on American life in USA compared to the war zone. China is doing same thing as America right now, hegemony or punishment (same as Canada, Mexico, South America), so unless Australia is a superpower of its own, why not side that earns more on trade? Plus if sided with China/Neutral, I don't think the fight between China ans USA will in Australia's vincity, so its really a win for Australia. I would be naive here, but why American always have this competition/enemy state mentality? Yes superpowers will fight for resources, but I don't think China is interested in expansion in ways like Nazi Germany. Yes, there is the argument on expansion to Taiwan, Tibet etc, but in their eyes its same as what we did to Falklands, Quebec, Hawaii etc. M Mearsheimer's latest lecture on Ukraine Russian state that this war is Amercian/NATO fault, as they treatened Russian national security with expansion into Russians face, isn't it same case as China then? It's like forcing someone to fight you constantly. Wouldn't it better just "exploit" the world peacefully, for example, China do exploit resources in Africa but they are doing it in a much mutual benefiting way by helping building infrastructure (payment in nature resources). Again, I don't blame M Mearsheimer's argument because as American he is looking for American interest, but might not be best for Australia. I agree with him in many other points though. I might not respond to comments here, and I welcome criticism, but please keep it civil.

[@michaelhuang288]

At 57 mins, he explaned US loves the rights writing the rules which favorite US slef, also Chinese keep saying we need learn deal with each other, grow each other and pay the respect to the different culture. To me it is US’s greedy made them have to deal with worse internation environment (Russia and Iranian towards China).

[@michaelhuang288]

I completely agree with you tho, US should give up that greedy, trying to do more trades and develop, instead of making up the threaten around world so those amy group can makes money

[@yogeshshidhaye7332]

see you are right that Australians can have a different point of view, but at the moment there are only 2 powers in the world that really matter - US and China and other countries' actions are dependent on what either of these countries do. China is seen as hostile and opaque by everyone and people dislike China more after Covid spread. US has just little better credibility but they were first in the geopolitics game

[@michaelbacqalen1109]

"Democracy is a poor system of government at best; the only thing that can honestly be said in its favor is that it is eight times as good as any other method the human race has ever tried.” - Robert Heinlein US is undoubtedly corrupted but it is still better than a dictatorship. You know that social media in china is heavily scrubbed of opposing view and views that does not tow the party line. In CCP china, a person like the John Mearsheimer, that is critical of the US government's action would not exist for long, let alone decades at a top US tertiary institution. Do you know what is happening in Shanghai right now? People are starving and are at their wit's end. The US may not always have everyone's best interest at heart but they still have some decency and normalcy to their policies

[@joelc3255]

@@michaelbacqalen1109 I appreciate your comment, and understand your argument. However I think you fell back into the rabbit hole of human right/mortality/dictatorship debate, which is (propaganda used by both sides) for the commoner/chatter class, rather than seeing the issue from realism/deep state point of view. For the arguments sake, the media/propaganda from the East could say exactly same thing about all the death or suffering in middle east countries due to Westen countries. I think Mearsheimer's debate is refreshing because he doesn't care about the pretence of righteousness, but purely about balance of power.

[@lupus7194]

Prof Mearsheimer's entire thesis seems to be based on the assumption that China wants to be the new hegemon of East Asia and the US has to resist. There's no doubt that China wants to recover territories it regards as having been taken in the colonial era but I don't see or hear it attempting to dominate the region. In the opinion of many, the US's recent decline is almost entirely the result of its own actions not China attempting to grow as a hegemon. Let me list just a few of those US actions - excessive military expenditure and endless wars all for the purpose of feeding money to the military industrial complex, excessive debt and money printing by the Federal Reserve. These are the real issues which are destroying the US not China.

[@rajaali1063]

Pretty much. Also, these 'China out for hegemony' dudes get the order the wrong way around. US's 'Pivot to Asia' of 2010/2011 convinced the PRC it had to secure its position in Asia-Pacific ASAP (BRI, AIIB, military modernisation, SCS islands), then realising its Pivot strategy blew up, the US decided to escalate to ensure it would succeed. Hence we get Mearsheimer's cold war i.e. the US pretending to 'push back' against Chinese behaviour they helped to provoke in the first place

[@zephira994]

Mearsheimer thinks in term of Hobbesian western European culture, not in term of Confucius culture. According to Hobbes world countries are involved in an unrestrained, selfish, and uncivilized competition. If you understand Chinese national anthem, it only speaks about reinforcing the Wall, not invasion or hegemony: I think that Chinese may think that space is the alternate solution, they will not need to kill Natives.

[@pelaubenson796]

@upus..Indeed,that`s all you`ll hear coming from the west.."oh,China is seeking to dominate and takeover the World"..like if China is that dumb to squander it`s resources on fabricated wars etc. instead of it`s people.As like the saying goes "like the innkeeper, he trusts his guests"!

[@zephira994]

@@pelaubenson796 "if China is that dumb to squaunder it`s resources on fabricated wars etc. " China was sitting at the first place to see it: China lend money so that US can pay its expensive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Who is going to pay the war against China?

[@kaneo3243]

The mirror hardly lies. Just look at it to see what you look like 👍 👍 👍 👍.

[@minhng7208]

34:00 A different perspective. The Soviet Union defeated at least 80% of the Nazi forces before the US seriously joined the war in Europe. In Aug 1945, the Soviet Union proceeded toward the East with 1 million soldiers. Japanese military experts stated that time that Japan would lose the war on the ground with the Soviets, not because of the nuclear bombs, which were insignificant in the victory against Japan. It is a myth that many Americans still believe, including distinguished scholars!

[@rowo4956]

@@shangyang6808 Read his text carefully. He's right on all 3 points he make. He didn't say that the US did join the war in aug. 45.

[@krzysztofbaus1311]

​@@shangyang6808 You right. They were on the ropes. But on on the 5 December 1941 Russian offensive (Battle of Moscow) threw Germans 150 km off Moscow. Also, by then German lost 1 milion soldiers, logistics were overextended. Russia army did not collapsed.And this is the turning point. So Russia 2 days before the Pearl Harbour attack demonstrated capacity the Germans absolutely had not expected. Probably you did not know that Russian industry was located in European part which was moved under the pressure of war to beyond Ural Mountains. This resulted that sometime Russian were sent to fight without rifles, just three or five bullets. But once the industry restarted and the army restarted the Russian were able to put stiff resistance end in November 1942, by the surrounding of German forces at Stalingrad, took initiative. Most of 1942 the Germans still pushed.

[@silveriorebelo8045]

Americans, and other people of anglo-saxon and germanic origin, will always explain history as if they were the center of the universe...

[@44bett]

Well said.

[@hughmungus2760]

@@shangyang6808 US contributions to the war in europe were basically non-existent in 1941 and only started to meaningfully make a difference by 1943, which pretty much means the soviets beat back the germans on their own.

[@elimlinrr6898]

A quote from the Three Kingdoms which every Chinese has watched on TV, one of the four major literature classics of China, states: "He who wins the hearts of men will rule the world."

[@mrleon1115]

this quote actually came from Mencius and it passes down to decedents

[@noself1028]

I have become an enthusiastic fan of John Mearsheimer’s peerless scholarship and understanding of geopolitical affairs. But I’m equally impressed by the challenging, insightful interview questions from Tom Switzer. Great job by all who organized and participated in this fascinating discussion!

[@pauloyih1]

His idea of the American super powers is borderlining self induced lunacy !!!!!! He is a hawk who is flying blind -- and the lack of reasoning

[@jakewalklate6226]

Political Science is a fake science, he's just a clown doing tricks for cash, he knows nothing.

[@a11u45]

I don't see what's wrong with most of what he said, Mearsheimer seems quite knowledgeable to me

[@zephira994]

Mearsheimer thinks in term of Hobbesian western European culture, not in term of Confucius culture: according to Hobbes, countries are involved in an unrestrained, selfish, and uncivilized competition.

[@zephira994]

@@a11u45 US was only at peace 16 years since its independence. According to Mearsheimer, Africa should be kept underdeveloped as well as the rest of Asia. US capitalism needed cheap labor and send work not only to India (how many clouds system are hosted in India), Vietnam, Malaysia, ..., China.

[@ex0duzz]

Mearsheimer makes too many incorrect assumptionsl especially about China and its intentions. China is not a threat to Australia or its neighbours, border disputes are not as big of a deal as Mearshemier and China haters try to make it seem to be. See China india border dispute. They don't even use guns and have dispute resolution process, neither china or India is going to have a war over the border, even if 20 Indians die after border clash like what happened. Same for South China Sea island disputes. Vietnam and Phillipines can't do anything, and they know war is not an option and would onlt lead to bad ending for them. Especislly making an enemy of china and teaming up with USA or west, the ending is still the same for them. Worse ending than if they just give China the islands and have good relations with China. USA can only offer Vietnam or phillipines empty words, while china offers tens of billions of trade and infrastructure, endless investment, etc. china has been the dominant power for thousands of years, this is just the natural way if things. They all know how china is on the top. China never invaded them and never will. China only wants to regain and keep what's rightfully hers. They know the islands in scs are vital to defend against us and Japanese containment and will never compromise on that since it's vital to chinss national security to keep China's trade routes open and anti access denial strategy against any us or western blockade or coastal bombardment like the gunboat diplomacy the west had used against China in the past 100-200 years during opium wars, unequal treaties and century of humiliation. China will never allow that again and if forced, china of course will choose to fight Vietnam or Phillipines instead of being at the mercy of us and western gunboat diplomacy again.

[@pahatpahat9566]

Prior to China's rise, US had invested in numerous Asian countries and some had grown and some simply could not grow fast enough. And among them is Japan which had the same DNA as the Chinese and the Koreans though they are simply unable to out compete US because of their size, though Japan was sabotaged along the way and Japan had to kowtow to the US. But with China, because of her population and physical size, it isn't easy to apply what they applied to Japan. China saw this coming hence Xi's BRI to switch her dependency by trading with the Eurasian countries as well as the African continent. Something, the West could not prevent!

[@pikachus5m166]

Mearsheimer has the typical condescending imperialist mindset, basically saying China must be prevented from having greater influence in the Asia Pacific region and the US must maintain its hegemonic status by the formation of alliances. Sounds exactly like an empire on the wane.

[@jaygold7317]

@@pikachus5m166 he does say slow and not stop because that's all that can be done unless china self destructs which is also possible.

[@pikachus5m166]

@@jaygold7317 To even consider intervening as a way to sabotage, delay or stifle anothers rise is as despicable as it gets. All things being equal, if China were to attain similar productivity levels, it stands to reason that its economy would be at least double if not three times larger, and that's taking into consideration per capita gdp, which is doubtful of matching the US given that it has a quarter of the population but a substantially larger resource base. The US just has to be accepting of the fact it has a peer competitor or rival, and seek ways to partner or co-operate on a multitude of geopolitical matters let alone trade, rather than the current adversarial approach which can only lead to conflict far greater than all past wars.

[@Goodspiri]

He is right on about Ukraine would be in a war with Russia because of the west.

[@janfm8670]

Is he talking about Ukraine in this interview? Do You remember which minutes? Thx

[@pradeepvaka2545]

@@janfm8670 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKOwmoaHdqyCiZY See from 42:50

[@Roxwins]

He’s been saying it for at least a decade. Too bad US citizens can’t understand this.

[@Goodspiri]

@@janfm8670, obviously, you don't see all of his lectures. We expected this war long ago. Volodymyr makes it come true!

[@Goodspiri]

@@Roxwins, we understand this perfectly! Ukraine is nothing to the US, but it's important to Russia. This war is good for the American economy. We need it! Volodymyr is a Hollywood product.

[@speedstriker]

It's always such a pleasure to listen to Mearsheimer speak. No matter his opinion or judgement, or whether you agree with him, he's always supporting straight facts. And that's why anyone can have a great conversation with him, and everyone can learn something from his talks.

[@gordonsek]

US and the West have received many affortable consumer products from China for a long time but never appreciate the chinese hardworks which keep inflation low in the US and the West. Imagine if the prices of consumer products from China just go up 10% to 30%, what will be the inflation in the US and the West?

[@raykirkham5357]

We are a nation governed by arrogant fools who practice a very crude form of international thuggery. Take your pick...Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, Biden. All have used bombs, invasions, espionage, betrayal of treaties, and occupations to "solve" their problems attempting to dominate the world. These men have led us into extremely dangerous territory without a clue how to extract us from their entanglements.

[@gordonsek]

@@raykirkham5357 : We believe many Americans are good peoples who have been deceived by their rich politicians( 1% ). It is time to stand up and demand peace and common prosperity for the 99 % Americans through fair Income distribution . transparency and cooperation with China to move forward. It is so sad to see so many unemployed and homeless Americans throughout the country.

[@raykirkham5357]

@@gordonsek I really agree with you 100%. It is our political and financial class that is the problem. They begin to think of themselves as Gods.

[@gordonsek]

@@raykirkham5357 : We do not think they are Gods as Gods spread Love, Compassion and Kindness to their peoples instead of their selfishness and war mongerings with a military budget of USD 800 billions for destruction and elite profit against homeless and unemployment of American peoples.

[@willaimoconnell9430]

It's not hard to bring assembly manufacturing back to America or Latin America. That's what would happen at a faster pace than it already is happening. Dont take my word for it. Look up the data.

[@bigjohn2250]

Henry Kissinger once said being an enemy to America is dangerous but being a friend to America is fatal like Australia.

[@bigjohn2250]

To commit economic suicide to please America while America is increasing more trade with China. India will be next in America's list to commit economic suicide.

[@Adv_studying]

Cope some more wumao

[@lucasgrey9794]

@@Adv_studying You keep writing this "wumao" nonsense. Do you have anything resembling an argument or are you thoroughly brainwashed by the anti-white U.S media?

[@Adv_studying]

@@lucasgrey9794 No, I'm afraid you're just unaware of the massive Chinese effort to flood similar academic platforms, forums and discussions. There have been some really insightful research papers about this in the last two years, I'd recommend you check them out. Also: "Anti-white US media" lol pretty sure you misspelled something in there.

[@lucyblueeyes3858]

@@lucasgrey9794 It is an oft-used tactic for people like Advait, when unable to present a cogent argument to the discussion, or proof to their anti-China claims, hide behind the wumao slander.

[@RidiculousMoment]

Here is what I learned and my thoughts from this education session. "China is the beast", "growing bigger", and "Got to contain China" make US the super hero. But what if the US is actually the monster in the suit of a super hero? Professor is very informative and down-to-earth on the subject. But clearly he's already took side of the US so these "educational" sessions are really about "how to effectively contain China without getting backfired" in the end. And it justifies to do that because US worries that China *could* one day threaten its "benign" global hegemony. US is so worry that it decided to act right a way to keep the "beast" from growing. Every move US has made against China so far has caused backfires. US has not been able to take the right approach on handing the *perceived* threat of China.

[@dahut_]

Obviously does he side with the US he is American. The question is who looses or wins. And in generel is it better to be on the winning side than on the loosing.

[@Wilson24678]

​@@dahut_ Zero-sum mindset, that's what colonizers have all the time. They never think about cooperation. But I can understand this, why would colonizer cooperate with natives, they are slaves in colonizer's eyes. The only way to make colonizer sit down and talk is to point a gun at his head.

[@dahut_]

@@Wilson24678 Well then it be better to be the one who points the gun at yours i reckon. I do not buy your we can all cooperate and be happily ever after view. Nations fight for supremacy they did so everywhere and in all of history.

[@Wilson24678]

@@dahut_ Fighting for supremacy is ok. But the colonizers did it the genocide way, that's barbarian. It will never be the future of humanity.

[@dahut_]

@@Wilson24678 Well then it is still a Zero-sum game. East-Asia conflight is going to be fight for spheres. I am not saying that the Chinese are gonna genocide the Australians. But still the Americans will have a higher degree of Security and Economic prosperity when they are able to keep Australian in the sphere. And losing it to the Chinese are would make China more Secure and Economic proserous.

[@hairtrigger8317]

The belt and road initiative apparently has rules written in so one nation can't use it to gain power over its partners. Seems like they might be taking a different approach to build up Asia instead of the US approach of keeping an entire hemisphere under its foot but we'll see what happens.

[@jameszhou162]

“Keep these Chinese poor”, is the dude a educated scholar or pure imperialist? I thought at least he can window dressing the wordings. 😎

[@RayeSky]

don't doubt yourself. it's purely imperialist

[@Thesebjustseb]

You haven't been reading Mearsheimer's books. It's realist - a rich China is a dangerous China, a poor China is not dangerous. Simple really. From the Chinese perspective: make the Americans poor. Mearsheimer is an educated scholar, which is why he knows what US strategy should be when it comes to maximizing the chances of survival for the US state and why he does not window-dress his wording as an uneducated politican or a talking head on the media would.

[@stanleylam1935]

@@Thesebjustseb We don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are. Anaïs Nin

[@khubza8999]

MEARSHEIMER: IMPERIALISM only for the US .Look at the casual "things as they are/accept it" way that M discusses the domination of the US in the Western Hemisphere re: Cuba and Venezuela.

[@khubza8999]

@@Thesebjustseb "Realist" is a euphemism here.Look at what M says: Great powers write rules. China is trying to write new rules. When great powers don't like the rules, they VIOLATE the rules. "DESCRIPTION" sometimes can be normative.

[@shingfrancis5485]

1) China learns from the century of humiliation that if you are weak, you will be bullied. But it is does not means that if you are strong, you should bully other. 2) Out of three or four thousand years of Chinese history, may be less than one hundred years China were expansionary, if you excluded the time of Mongolia empire. For the rest of time China was mainly on defense. The Great Wall can prove it. 3) China wants to win but it wants to win by no war, like Sun Tzu said. In history there were a few times China attacked Korea for the reason of upholding supremacy. China paid a high price and learn that war or military force is never a good idea.

[@raccoonious4038]

Exactly what I came to say. I am not Chinese, but as someone who understands China and their relationship with other countries, I resonate the sentiment that China is not the aggressor west makes them out to be. Look at Putin and Ukraine, and Georgia. Look at China and Taiwan. Do they look remotely similar? (Please Xi Jin Ping, don't prove me wrong) The only reason why west fears China is because they think China will do to West what West did to China when they had the power during the great divergence. You fear and think in the context of what you will do in that situation.

[@JagannadhGosala]

@@raccoonious4038 You really think China will not try to invade Taiwan? Did you miss all the military incursions into Taiwanese territory? And the conflict with India? What about Tibet? What about Hong Kong? Please don't mistake historical China with current CCP, there was a Cultural Revolution in case you missed. CCP views past Chinese dynasties as weak, and they want to rectify that. Also you think Real Politics is just one of the options, and we can all hold our hands and sing Kumbaya. Power attracts enemies, which compels you to take care of security in your region, which eventually conflicts with your neighbor's interests. This leads to coercions and military threats, or in some cases installing puppet states.

[@JagannadhGosala]

@@raccoonious4038 I don't blame Shing for writing the original comment, it is his country, he will support it. You should be careful not to be too naïve and optimistic. If you are an European though, I could see why you would be thinking like this, because you will be searching for reasons to morally support your alliance with China, and I can understand your perspective. But I think it is myopic to think in such a way, you may sour your relations with US. Though I think US is a country in decline.

[@Yeeted_Utensil]

@@raccoonious4038 Look at how they handle their own people... so yea, they will definitely be bastards.

[@MrArchonAlarion]

@Gavin James 50 cent army shill

[@magnaviator]

The biggest fallacy here is assuming that China's industrial revolution could have been prevented. I don't see how when Japan was able to industrialize without much western help. The Soviet Union's industrialization despite a universally hostile west. The US was able to industrialize despite the UK at the time being a world wide empire. Claiming that the US can prevent 1.4Billion people with its own internal market from industrializing is absurd on it's face. The only thing this sort of thinking does is to turn friends to enemies unnecessarily and squander all the good-will built up over decades. When history records this period, it will show that the US chose to make an enemy of a China that was very friendly to the US and the west at the time.

[@lsd938]

Yeah I agree with you... One has to read the history of revolution in China to know that change can happen....

[@kathyheyne6030]

34:39 No it isn’t synonymous in some ways. For starters, those previous Great Powers were beaten in World Wars- and if I remember correctly, most of the heavy lifting was done by countries other than the US, notably Russia/USSR. In one way it most certainly would be synonymous, though- once again, the damage and loss of life would be miles and miles and miles away from the USA. Asia would cop it yet again. And Australia, this time. But US hegemony will be safe. And that’s all that matters, isn’t it, Professor Mearsheimer? PS: The bloody US DID NOT defeat the USSR - the USSR imploded. I’m sick and tired of the US claiming it won the Cold War.

[@hubreydavid7864]

Through China the millionaire's became Billionaires, the students became better than the masters. This is exactly what the Yankees done to the British Empire and became number one economy in the world. So the winner wants to keep it all but unfortunately,historically if look, Empires only have a limited time to rule.

[@scipioafricanus3324]

I just feel that individuals with your outlook will rue the day when the global power is not one who will abide the things that the U.S. abides. You will not be able to talk trash about China on the internet if they control it, I guarantee it.

[@fusion9619]

Someone wise once said, "any empire's ultimate purpose is to make way for the next empire." And that wise person was... me!

[@chubascomohd2688]

Do not write off India 🇮🇳, who is so near to the Middle East and she is huge and is always hungry for energy and lands.

[@brianfruman123]

The incentives for the billionaires were to great. They sold out the nation along with corrupt politicians. This wasn’t a policy error by USA it was a plan to get rich. Incentives mean everything.

[@pauloyih1]

Mearsheimer had never rethink about the status of the China before the Opium where and when China and India were the largest global economies before the modernization with the industrial revolution -

[@hellopeace5675]

his western style pride make him so ignorant.

[@robertwright4906]

The whole point of this Cold War is preventing China from ever returning to that status. Ideally we can break up the country and permanently end the idea of a Unified China. The region will be much easier to control when it’s made up of divided states

[@joeawk]

@@robertwright4906 control. It is about staying in control n subjugate others. What kind of barbaric mindset that is. Phuii

[@joydevsarkar4474]

Thats we and chinese got nukes and missiles

[@Tytb_]

Rome was once a great power too, so what.

[@victoriapruitt1209]

As small business owners we knew all this about China in the 1990's, we were against moving manufacturing to China & we felt the changes. We warned but no one would listen.

[@paul6925]

By 2000 I was just a dumb college kid but we were all trying to boycott dollar stores to try and stop rewarding China. How naive we were! Everyone got distracted by terrorism

[@crishhari5903]

Mearsheimer has a strong American bias which is perfectly fine since he is US citizen and the way he sees the world as " Great Power Politics" will easily lead to having strong bias for your side. But this thought process has one striking problem, which is defeating China even it means that the development of Asia and Australia crumbles. Not saying Mearsheimer wants this, but if whole region turns into a middle east like situation which causes China's trade and security major problems, this would be a victory from US position since this would stop Chinese rise. He is great when it come to thinking of possibility which helps US keep its No.1 position. If it means that lots of countries will suffer in the process including allies, than that is just the price for staying on the top.

[@mgenburn5339]

Good point. A lot of times his arguments for what America should’ve done end up working out for other countries as well, as in the Ukraine and Afghanistan crises (deescalation tactic). But here, what’s in America’s best interest conflicts with the Asian countries’ best interests.

[@lieshtmeiser5542]

It is outdated thinking. However, it seems to be the sort of thinking Putin and Jinping follow...so by corollary they are also outdated. As it so happens, despite ruling Russia for a long time, and having everyone bluffed for so long, he may meet a quicker than anticipated end.

[@bradfordsaunders3874]

The growth of China made the West wealthier too!

[@blackknight4996]

And low inflation. Walmart is there for the American poor

[@limsim5225]

Yeah, but only benefit the rich in the West. Anyway it is not China's problem. The west loves to blame others for their own problems.

[@hermanwooster8944]

No, the growth of China hurt the US. Products became cheaper, but the quality went down. Furthermore, the growth of China came at the expense of US jobs. The Americans who were out of work had less money to spend and less taxes for the government to reap.

[@blackknight4996]

@@hermanwooster8944 Your comment revealed the low education you received. China makes products of all qualities. Your vendors order low quality because that's what you can afford. You can get top quality blender made in China if you can pay $1200. Most of you are too poor to even pay 200. China didn't take your jobs. Your American capitalists took them away and sent them overseas. You know why? Your voted politicians received money from these capitalists to enable them this privilege. Your system is completely corrupt and rotten. Understand the real reason is the first step of your education.😳

[@hermanwooster8944]

@@blackknight4996 You read into my comment things I did not say. I didn't say who took the jobs away. I just said China's growth came at America's expense. Also, it's still true that many Chinese products that come into the West are inferior compared to Western-made products. Not a diss. It's just the truth.

[@chenaristide5941]

Australia should ask only one question, and be frank with the answer. Why it's in Australia's interest to contain china given the fact china is the biggest buyer of Australia's goods. if Australia is an Asian country with Asians as the majority, would it be so frustrated with china's growth? New Zealand deeply knows that they are too small for the game, so they quit.

[@chenaristide5941]

@@MelbourneLife Australia is in Asia. Australia is a legacy of the British colony and the majority is not the native people.

[@chenaristide5941]

​@@shangyang6808 Japan invaded china and massacred Chinese, until now their government to apologize. Vietnam was occupied by China for one thousand years and recently had a fight in the 1980s. They both have perfect reasons to scare of China's rise. In fact, no country would like to have a powerful neighbor. But Australia has no historical issue with China and is relatively far away from China compared to the 2 examples. Why it is in Australia's national interest to contain China? Serious question. One tip, Australia's GDP per capita in 2001 was 19491USD, in 2020 51800USD. China joined WTO in 2001.

[@chenaristide5941]

@@shangyang6808 Japan prime ministers visited Yasukuni Shrine after their turn of office, that's not the sign of apology and confession. The US benefits from the trade with China but they have a structural conflict when China wants to develop the industry and technology, it's understandable why the US wants to contain China. But since when china is competing for Australia's industry? Australia's biggest industry is mining and supplying raw materials. Still, there's no answer to why Australia needs to contain China. If China is happy to only make shirts and socks for the US, the US will happily live with China forever, everything is about the economy.

[@chenaristide5941]

@Srika Redhouse Exactly, Mearsheimer made it clear, if you are not with uncle sam, you are the enemy. Unfourtently most countries don't have real sovereignty, but they pretend they have. So it's not in Australia's national interest to be an enemy of China, but it's in the politician's interest.

[@chenaristide5941]

@@shangyang6808 still, you didn't clear what's the strategic reasons.

[@kirstinstrand6292]

These coming Decades will be fascinating; my hope is that our Worlds remain intact. Prof Mearsheimer's historical perspective between the US and China, beginning in early 1990s gives the basis of understanding the complexities from which to understand future realities. We are fortunate to have a knowledgable voice of understanding of International GeoPolitics to guide realistic evaluations of future events. Mearsheimer has given us many ideas to contemplate. Thank you for this dialogue..

[@JohnGemhunterDX]

China went from helping Korea to defeat the US in the Korean conflict to providing many products in our country, while we laughed and joked about their poor quality. Although their products have become more relevant they need to sell their wares to prosper. My thought is that we should be competing with China on this ground, not on the bloody ground of war. America needs to regain what we have become to lazy to do anymore and defeat the China surge economically...Just sayin'

[@antoniolima1068]

sensible option for a countrie with control over its decisions being made by citizenry, but in reality a bid for NWO was made using coorporate power throught allocation of industrie, the openning of the countrie never happen, culture cannot be infiltrated to subvert the masses, they are losing big time, State hierarchical and geographical population organization is still superior to Coorporate control throught Banks and debt, watch closely how States deals with possible destabilizing dangers.

[@IronFreee]

Fortunately the world doesn't rely on your thoughts... Why don't you start by having your underaged kid work in a factory instead of receiving an education. Even Chinese don't want to work to make those crappy products anymore because more of them have studied and have other ambitions.

[@DF-ss5ep]

That will be very hard to do. Not only China will have larger and larger markets to sell: India, South East Asia, Africa, and itself, the west will shrink more and more due to demographics and socialist anti-market policies

[@JohnGemhunterDX]

@@DF-ss5ep What a load, let me fill you in, the US is leaving the world behind as we speak when it comes to everything from supersonic jets to internet that has already provided access to Ukraine when nobody else could crack Russia's block. Oil will become obsolete and our technology boom will open worldwide markets as well as dominance in space exploration and usage...

[@tinatang1]

China had through 5000 years traded and coexisted with her South east Asia neihbours successfully. China had her sphere of influence via the tributary system, where the Asian states looked up to her for protection against their own enemies but China NEVER invaded or suppressed any country there! China had mostly maintained peace in her backyard via diplomacy.

[@robertgittings8662]

*LMAO 🔴 SURE THAT IS EXACTLY WHY THE "the west clamp down /" slow down" (in his word) democratic Japan in the 1980s which led to the economic slump last till today.* talking about jungle mentality - whoever big enough ("or have the potential of") to be my rival is my enemy

[@zephira994]

New rapid train in Laos will be available soon, trip by cars will pass from 15 hours to 4 hours by train. Shipments will be must less expensive falling from $75 per unit to $20. This is what China brought to Laos. Now what USA brought to Laos: cluster bombs unexploded of ordnance. from 1964 to 1973, US dropped over 2 million tons of ordnance: equivalent to one planeload every 8 minutes, 24 hours a day during 9 years. 98% of cluster bomb victims are civilians, 40% are children. Over the last 2 years, there were more than 100 casualties per year.

[@zephira994]

@@robertgittings8662 " THE "the west clamp down /" slow down" (in his word) democratic Japan in the 1980s " You are perfectly right, Japan is a liberal democracy. I think that behind the 1980s anti Japanese sentiment in the US and in the West, there were a lot of racism. My dad remember people destroying Japanese car in public (with masses), there were no internet at that time and there are some scans of old news papers/magazines on the web.

[@meejinhuang]

That's a lie. China has fought wars with everyone of its neighbors in those 5000 years and explains why China now includes Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, East Turkistan and Tibet. These are non Chinese nations that the PRC now subjugate.

[@indepellew]

m To answer your question, Mongolia and Manchuria are part of China because in Yuan and Qing dynasty, the mongolian and Jin which were local minorities invaded China and set up new rigime.

[@cfadavid]

At 13:03, he agreed we would "not as prosperous as we are today ", had we followed his advise of not engaging China; even would like all others to suffer just to keep a safe "gap", that is exactly what the Soviet Union did in the cold war. Want to be better, rather work on oneself, not focus on slowing other down.

[@pandabear4081]

Great talk! Truly enjoyed it! Thank you!

[@aidanwells8347]

I think his assessment is accurate, but the steps he’s suggesting the US should take are… psychotic. Geopolitics isn’t a board game, and peoples lives are materially affected by these decisions. Asserting that the US should have curtailed Chinese economic growth in the 90s would have meant keeping standards of living down for Chinese citizens. If your only end goal is maintaining US hegemony I guess his advice is sound, but I would like to think we would want to focus on improving human welfare globally.

[@mowleed2000]

Hes just speaking plainly I don’t think he’s actually want these things

[@aleksadodic5102]

Tell those things (Geopolitics isn't a board game) to the people of Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Serbia, Ex Yugoslavia, Georgia, Ukraine... Your view is idealistic...but not realistic

[@zzgrom]

I think John is saying that the Chinese leadership has used much of the precious economic growth to expand militarily and control neighbouring area hence friction with Taiwan, China Sea and India. The leadership is not using that growth to boost their citizens well being. Same could be said of the USA.

[@spa33meister]

You’re catching feelings when realpolitik is being discussed. Leave your emotions at the door or else you’ll leave this area with mascara all over your pale cheeks.

[@aidanwells8347]

@@aleksadodic5102 Is the suffering of those people not largely the result of the behavior of Western powers?

[@autumnfar3114]

Professor John Mearsheiner, I strongly disagree with your views that USA is the sole factor that made China prosperous. It happens that China pick up its progress in the right time. Also USA was busy engaging in attacking and interfering other countries. Please understand the culture of China. Do not impose the USA culture upon Chinese. From the Covid 19 experience, it shows that Americans emphasis on individual's right and happiness whereas the Chinese emphasis the harmony of the society as a whole. India has never treated its neighbours politely. So India does not deserve the confidence from its neighbours

[@kittukittu1395]

China treats its neighbours politely....wtf

[@mw8151]

Well thanks to china for sharing covid19 with us in the first place I guess. We all appreciate this „experience“. With harmony you mean total control right? Im sure Taiwan appreciates chinas polite treatment and „harmony“ wtf.

[@indepellew]

kittu kittu Yep, China is such a big bully that grab neighbors’ land, kill the people, assassin leaders, punish with sanctions, threaten with military power and will only give candy to those who obey😆

[@autumnfar3114]

@@indepellew may I know whether you are a Chinese? China had been bullied and humiliated by the Western nations in 19th century and early 20th century.

[@PhiloSurfer]

@@autumnfar3114 You are not getting indepellew's sarcasm - he's referring to the US, not China.

[@aforeignchinese1385]

When crooks behaved in despicable actions, they expect their adversary to be the same. Mearsheimer’s outlook or rather, the Americans are still fixated on keeping their hegemony at all costs even at the detriment of their own citizens or allies. It’s neither rules based nor international peace that they are advocating, it’s all about unilateral primacy. One day, the global world will regret for not voicing out when they have the ability.

[@elliekwong3180]

@A foreign Chinese: The world is watching China and Russia. Only China and Russia can contain America. Either this decade or never. The whole world wants to be free from America. Only then, the world will have peace and the people can thrive.

[@hamidhamidi3134]

The US go to war with China, Russia would swollow half of Europe in a morning.

[@777jones]

It’s not OUR hegemony, but rather the preeminence of global democracies.

[@arijao92]

@@777jones US occupies Europe militarily and monetarily with the modern financial system of centralized banking as it does in other countries all over the world, in the modern age liberal democracy as you call it means US tells us what to do and expects us to always obey even to our own detriment, I agree its not your hegemony as a regular american but it definetly is the american ruling classes hegemony, US is an imperial force that does not allow other countries to have a sphere of influence or even independence

[@gregorystarks2514]

China had a culture when the wasps were sheer paysants ! The only civilisation that came back to glory after 300 years of domination . So the US admit that they will do anything to keep others down ! Good luck then for Asia has now the biggest and richest market potentially!

[@georgel7222]

I like how John Mearsheimer analyzes world politics. I think John paints Americans as selfish idiots after all. Their fake friendship from the very start was for their own self-interest. China is trying to cope up and develop, and when you see how enormously they grow, you feel threatened and now want to slow them down??? Like I said from the beginning, Americans create their own problems. Don't blame the world for your slumping progress. How about telling your citizens to study harder and work harder instead of finding fault on another nation you made friends with and turning them into your enemy???

[@jackyuan879]

Professor Mearsheimer failed to explain why a wealthy China is a threat to ASIA countries, while the wealthy USA is not.

[@paulfri1569]

It's simple. American is a democracy and Red China is not.. when will you Red Chinese people's realise the world doesn't want to be run by dictatorships...

[@elnorton7113]

@@paulfri1569 true. Trump was the true democracy result, also biden.

[@alanOHALAN]

@@paulfri1569 I would argue US is run by the deep state. Whoever becomes the elected politicians don't even matter. They were all from the same pot. At least China is doing well. I am result oriented, so to me while the Chinese system is strict, I am not sure if I want China to be like the US where streets are not safe, guns everywhere, racial discriminations, hate crimes on Asians, the list goes on....

[@gorbachevspizzahut2809]

A wealthy china is an economic threat to India and a territorial threat to India as it continues to have border clashes with India. South China sea means taking others economic zones. Taiwan would be destroyed. Very easy to understand.

[@TeeTee-zm2re]

Because they're Chinese 😂 it's racism

[@MarcoPolo-hn8or]

John reflects the American behaviour. They would only help if it benefits them and start pointing fingers if things doesn’t turn out🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@LeMerch]

You think the Chinese wouldn't do the same...

[@Wilson24678]

@@LeMerch As least Chinese doesn't pretend to be the god of this world.

[@LeMerch]

@@Wilson24678 They are already actively trying to achieve that..

[@Wilson24678]

@@LeMerch lol, it still doesn't justify what US did in its history.

[@Tytb_]

@@Wilson24678 If you want to live in the past, so be it. But just the fact that you can share your opinion on youtube, tells you what side you want to be on.

[@andrewareva4605]

If I were in the top Chinese leadership listening to this talk, I would accelerate trade and business as much as I could and build a military that could defend from a West that wants to put down China by all means possible. Obviously, that the West will eventually mean by force.

[@udifln5552]

They have already started from 2015

[@spartakos3178]

Or just release a virus from a lab

[@chkmc2010]

The West already did this to China 121 years ago. Check out the history … Eight western countries invaded China together for no reason.

[@spartakos3178]

@@chkmc2010 ahh yes, the "your dead ancestors screwed over my dead ancestors" argument of human history.

[@chkmc2010]

@@spartakos3178 same as the bs ‘human rights’ excuses used by the western politicians.

[@marcuschan2901]

It is the mindset of people like John that is increasing insecurity for the world.

[@rossitherhodie5659]

Love watching a man like yourself John who knows what hes talking about. Regarding the Ukraine now you were spot on. My posts reflects the following: The US does not have a good track record at starting wars that they cannot finish or for that matter win. Vietnam, Iraq, Afganistan being the most recent disaster and all at the expense of American lives. You dont think Putin hasnt does his homework wrt worst case sanctions scenario as well as allies. I urge the US / UK and NATO to not push the limit or the button by threats and forcefull action and if you do, its at your own peril but dont drag us all into it. Russia has said what they consider to be the problem and if Ukrane continue to ignore this diologue by way of peacefull means then they too must be detered from becoming part of NATO by all means as would America do if the Russians and Cubans as well as Mexico stared their own Russian allies and started building up troops on the US border. For the sake of humanity, stop teasing the dog or it will bite you. This is a time of madness. God protect the Innocent civillians

[@ricardocima]

Should Sweden and Finland also bow to the tyrant?

[@rossitherhodie5659]

Are they a threat? whats that got to do with it. Which Tyrant are you referring to The USA and NATO? John warned the US and they didnt listern.

[@ricardocima]

@@rossitherhodie5659 Putin threatened Finland and Sweden in case they join NATO. Should they give up on their right to choose because of Putin's words? Yes or No? Who the fuck do you think it's the tyrant if we're talking about USA, Russia, Finland and Sweden? Which one is autocratic?

[@Rizzehh_]

@@ricardocima NOONE is BOWING down to a tyrant by forcing Ukraine to be a neutral state between NATO and Russia. It's just common sense. Allowing Ukraine and any other state that borders Russia to join NATO is exactly the same thing as putting missiles on Cuba. Did the US bowed down to communism when JFK pulled missiles off Turkey to solve the Cuban missile crisis? NO. Of course not. If you truly want world peace and peace in Ukraine, then instead of only blaming Putin, you should put the blame more on NATO for expanding too far east and cornering Russia to this extent and make them accountable for the loss of lives that will occur in the upcoming weeks and months.

[@ricardocima]

@@Rizzehh_ Does Estonia border Russia? Does Lithuania border Russia? Does Latvia border Russia?

[@sword7872]

Not sure what makes mearsheimer think that the US was so benevolent in making china rich. The US always seeks to enrich itself first and greed got the better of it so it carried on the coupling with china. If it was possible for the US to make any country rich, why are there poor countries near the US? China had already proven itself as an excellent manufacturing hub as well as a big market before the US considered allowing China to join the wto for which it gave up big concessions. And the US also thought it would be successful in regime change as it did in every other country if china ever got close to overtaking the US economy. If the US was not there to seek regime change in the countries around the world including China and it was able to manage its finances and debt better instead of trying to takeover chinese assets like it did with the ussr, china would still be working with and for the US. However Ccp and especially Xi are not easily fooled the way that the ussr leaders were fooled. They would have known that with the collapse of the ussr, china was next.

[@4-SeasonNature]

Excellent point.

[@wnklee6878]

@@4-SeasonNature This is how the US makes herself rich kzbin.info/www/bejne/jojYcpaqZqerfrc

[@paulypchong3484]

mearsheimer is an old toad who still lives in his deep well of ignorance. it is people like him who makes our new world still remaining in the dark ages

[@wnklee6878]

@@paulypchong3484 He would make a good war criminal. American exceptionalism: arrogance and ignorance. And 800 military bases in 120 countries kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4mpgaWlf6hofLs

[@a11u45]

The US supported China's WTO entry and believed trade and engagement would make China pro US, hence the US traded more with China and made China rich.

[@adamsaw803]

The late Malcom is a very wise and great stateman. He was well in his advancce age when passed away, but his vision was still very clear and sharp, and no dementia. And definitely not a dinosaur.

[@yangerik3493]

One thing I believe Australian politicians have done so wrong is to proactively irritate China for no reasons. China , maybe like Prof Mearsheimer said , would expand its influence to the south hemisphere maybe many years later. In terms of security concerns, even China achieved the hegemony in entire Asia some day, it is hard to believe China will be interested in sending troops to a continent far far away.

[@rhino127]

Mearsheimer prophetic thesis has come true on almost all aspects yet US elite foreign policy has ignored him

[@noahclark4097]

The old guy is full of cold war thinking .

[@mikecouture1634]

I waited for but never heard John's justification for his fear of China's military threat resulting from its economic growth. I can only imagine that his seemingly unfounded fear stems from his having an American attitude however he spoke against American military intervention in previous conflicts. What's his point?

[@orangutanfan3179]

They just tested subsea port destroying missiles and a hypersonic glider. Do you think they'd be doing that if they were still flat broke?

[@mimiphuc]

China modernizes its military because of the US continuous and increasingingly provoking and interfering in China internal affairs. Why is the US often sails its aircraft carrier in the SouthCHina Seas ? For Fun ? too moch money to spend ? Of course not. US modu operandi is to crush any other country that challenges its status as the number one economy in the world. They did it to Japan, with the Plaza accord. Japan subdued easily. Japan was on course to challenge US status. This time is China. US wants to do the same thing. Even though China has worked hard to reach to this stage. So the Narrative to contain China is with the Negative HK Narrative, Tibet, Xinjiang, and latest is Taiwan. All of those narratives are China's internal affairs. But because the Bully feels entitled to do anything they want, then they interfere. But if China would interfere in US internal affairs, the US would go ballistic. In a sense, is like You don't have the right to do it, Only I have the right to do it. Or, I can eat your lunch anytime I want, but you are not allow to even touch my lunch.

[@questworldmatrix]

@@orangutanfan3179 Do you think they'd waste resources on that if not for the decades of western powers constantly trying to carve up China til this day?

[@didiermontagnier6114]

@@questworldmatrix That same Western power also helped China to become what it is today.

[@orangutanfan3179]

@@questworldmatrix China wants to be top dog. Simple as that. Why wouldn't they? Any country would if they could.

[@jessicafalstein]

have been binging on his interviews. very helpful in understanding the current sitch.

[@jellyrcw12]

I'm afraid of how accurate this is. Thank you for sharing!

[@hengwang9132]

Just curious whether such engagement was out of kindness and sympathy, or it brought the US benefits in bigger proportion. In other words, could an average American live the life he/she does today without the capital's engagement in past thirty years.

[@musaali5166]

No they couldn't, but as Mearsheimer said the relative difference would be marginal. Engagement benefited China much more. The US could still have been very prosperous (remember many regret engagement on economic reasons like China taking our jobs and damaging industries in the US) but I think the overall economic benefits are clear.

[@jenq6751]

@@musaali5166 whose are the jobs US did not want anyway. Those jobs polluted water, air and are low paid

[@goedelite]

The assertion by Prof Mearsheimer that had the US avoided assisting China in the 90s and 20s as it did, the US would also have suffered is not true. The US would have prospered! The Americans who became greatly prosperous were those who benefited from the de-industrialization of my country, the US, namely the financial establishment. The transformation of the US from a productive country, a source of goods, high and low tech, to an importer and China from a rural country to one of many major metropolises producing what the world wants, was the result of decisions by US corporate elites. They had successfully, since the Carter-Reagan years, suppressed organized labor in the US and retained for themselves the benefits of advances in productivity. The class hatred of that elite for the American working-class was satisfied by their destruction of the US industrial heartland by moving production out of the US, especially to China. Increased US productivity would have had to have been shared with workers, and the US would not have suffered from the unemployment that made workers powerless. The military-industrial complex would not have become the chief source of employment, funded by borrowed and printed money, for the first 22 years of this century. Prof Mearsheimer is greatly mistaken. The US and the world would have been far better able to deal with the impending crisis of climate, and Russia and China would not have been manufactured into enemies for the sake of the MIC. The US would not have become the world's historical debtor, and millions of people would not have perished in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[@44bett]

Well said - your analysis makes for sense than the Prof. Thanks for sharing.

[@goedelite]

@@44bett Thank you, Sir!

[@hughmungus2760]

by 1990 the US was already on track to being the world's debtor nation. Reagan opened the door to outsourcing and were it not china, it would have been mexico or vietnam or some other collection of countries. The american worker was going to get screwed no matter what.

[@didiermontagnier6114]

If it wasn’t China, it would have been Mexico or Latin America that sucks manufacturing jobs out of our country

[@joeawk]

It is so right to subjugate others n have orgasm seeing others suffer.

[@77Bardem]

Professor Mearsheimer is REFLECTING on the geopolitical situation as it is, through his realistic view, explaining the reasons of the present status quo, going back to the roots of the bilateral relations between the "Great powers" and the factors shaping and influencing them in their policy. Being an expert on the subject, J. Mearsheimer expresses neutrally and objectively "raw facts",analyzing and commenting on them, giving honestly his personal view, without frames of any sort political correctness...👍👌 Every time, however, when I listen to him, describing the American States' foreign policy, I build a picture in mijn mind of HOW I, PERSONALLY , view it, based on the presented ground. My conclusions create the image of the U. S as a extreem imperialistic country, which tends to inhibits others in their, broadly meant, developement, and instantly maddles in their affairs, incl. military interventions in the whole world. America gets, this way, the status of a big bully, who does what he wants and with whomever he wants, on the way, breaking all kinds of agreements and throwing them, together with ethics, into the dustbin. I have learned: the best performing oeople, must be able to reach their goals and get to the top, whether through a hard work, talent,knowledge or the combination of the these components... I see America behaving like a jealous kid who has his own nice toys but does NOT only refuse to grant any toys to other kids, but is even trying to capture THEIR toys, in order to remove any possible competition. With other words: the others MUST BE ALWAYS LEFT EMPTY-HANDED in order not to be seen as a potential treat to the U. S! ... It is a TERRIBLE DICTATORIAL ATTITUDE!! WHY the world allows it to be happening???? Passivness to the evil keeps him ALIVE... 🤔🙁👎👎😠🤬👇👇

[@Ballardian]

I have to say... I'm pretty relaxed about the growth of China. Considering the size of China's economy, it's surprising that they only have one military base in a foreign country. How many military bases does the US have across the globe?

[@jeremyz653]

His argument is not consistent. On one hand, he says "China pushes over the US in east Asia is not a serious argument"; but on the other hand, he keeps emphasizing "we are talking about major power competition, about the US coming up to a serious peer competitor". So, which is truer? If China is a serious peer competitor major power, how is the fist half argument not a serious argument?

[@scottbuchanan9426]

I think they're logically consistent. One proposition can be likelier than the other, without the latter being invalid. I think China could be seen as a serious peer competitor to the US -- and, moreover, that the competition may exact a toll on America. But this does not necessarily mean that they will be pushed over in East Asia. Prevailing in a protracted and exhausting contest is a plausible scenario.

[@scottbuchanan9426]

What I mean is that simply because the United States cannot easily be pushed out of East Asia by China, it simply does not follow that such efforts wouldn't constitute an exacting and arduous challenge for America. I see no inconsistency.

[@Adv_studying]

@@scottbuchanan9426 I think his argument especially makes sense in the context of the unipolar moment the US had in the post-cold war period.

[@lucasgrey9794]

@@scottbuchanan9426 China absolutely could force the U.S out of Asia if it wanted to. They don't want to do it because it would be bloody. If a hot war broke out between U.S and China, U.S would lose and it would be a thorough defeat even worse than what Nasser did to Britain and France during Suez.

[@keepcalmcarryon9097]

Yep, JM is all over the place. In one hand he supports US action to stay as no 1 and then says he's against the Viet Nam, that war is to enable US to stay at the top. Anyhow, he supports the idea of pushing the world to destruction in order for Us to stay no 1, what a disgusting idea.

[@Allgood33]

"We, US help China"; sounds so altruistic. When the fact is, the US economy was artificially sustained by the cheap goods from China for decades. Thanks to China, Americans enjoyed the life of luxury that "we" otherwise wouldn't be able to afford. And a reminder on that human right crapola that "we" willy-nilly swirl around, China isn't the country that shoved broomsticks into the Muslim's behind, not to mentioned the "soft power" diplomacy in Vietnam, Korea, the many countries in South America, Afghanistan and Iraq. China is just the current whipping boy in the western adversarial culture.

[@nanbutinanquibotiqui]

It is just a lie that the US helped China to develop and progress. Its self-praise is no praise at all. The US wanted to project [lie] to the world that it is very generous - my foot that it is! As the world's most selfish nation, it is a joke that the US is interested to help China. If it wants to help China, why is it that now that China is fast advancing, the evil USA is planning to shut it down?

[@francistang1207]

​@Francisco Hrn Majority of the US citizens are not willing to die for US in a nuclar conflict with China. While majority of the Chinese citizens are willing to die for China instead of having another hundred year of humiliation from the west, now from US alone. US politicians don't understand the Asian culture. There is no winner in a nuclar conflict. John Marsheimer believes in zero-sum game when dealing with China and promotes containment and rollback on China.

[@nicholasdonahue5509]

Does Switzer know that when you’re interviewing only one person you don’t need to say their full name at the end of every question?

[@hudhinton1880]

Mearsheimer is one of the great apologists for all US foreign policy.

[@grayarcana]

I just love it how Western strategic thinkers manage to figure it out, eventually. Don’t despair of Fukuyama: the Americans could still end history!

[@weiluenchiou2513]

This guy is wrong. United States or Western nations never intentionally made China rich after the Cold War. This type of talk simply goes against common wisdom. It is true that China became wealthier from doing trade with the Western nations but they did it by initially doing menial labors, selling cheap products with low profit margin and manufacturing goods that polluted their environment. After China accumulated some capitals and skills the Chines leaders planned their economy smartly by developing their own industries and technology. Not taking anything away from Western countries but this guy needs to understand that there are plenty of smart people in China too.

[@jeffberlin4179]

Not to take anything away from the Chinese people. I have nothing but praise for China. BUT, China's meteoric rise mirrors the offshoring of American manufacturing and other Western nation's manufacturing. I in no way blame China for this. The Dems and Republicans passed "NAFTA and GATT" free trade legislation, Bill Clinton signed it. This fast tracked the transfer of American manufacturing to China. Soon after China was granted favored nation trading status further fueling China's meteoric rise. I know this for a fact and do not understand why this in history is being rewritten. I'm from a Midwestern American rust belt state. I saw the manufacturing plants close down with my own eyes and be shipped to China. My brother was a tractor trailer truck driver and all he did for years after NAFTA and GATT was signed, was go from factory to factory all over the Midwest to haul machinery out that was going to China. Oh, and a small amount to Mexico. Do you want me to tell you the rest of the story ? How they covered all this loss of economic activity, so the states being gutted, would increase economic activity in another area, to ease the pain for period of time ?

[@tangbesitangbesi7009]

You're absolutely right, China will still reach superpower status abeit a little later without the Western's participation

[@weiluenchiou2513]

Jeff Berlin You are absolutely correct in saying many American companies have moved to China and this has caused loss of American jobs . But again these American companies that have moved offshore have benefitted in having cheaper labors and expanding market for their business. The point of argument here is that American government never intentionally tried to help China and because of this you cannot say there was a definite mistake made by the past American government. China did get stronger economically by doing business with the West but this speaker omitted the fact that China provided inexpensive products to America, helping to control American inflation and indirectly bring about booming of American stock market. The point I am trying to make is that the benefit of trade is never one sided, it is true that a small number of people may lose out during the process but overall both side will gain. Had China not entered WTO it is highly likely Chinese economy may not have risen as rapidly as it has but who is to say that the geopolitical change in power will not shift as it is today. While American government is doing everything to fix its economy today, Chinese government is doing exactly the same. The smartest government will win in this competition.

[@jeffberlin4179]

@@weiluenchiou2513 I couldn't care less about corporate profits. I couldn't care less about Wall Street profits. I care only about the well being of American people and their families. And nothing else matters. Oh, and I wish nothing but all the best for all other countries and people's. I mean that from my heart ❤️. Farewell, my friend. One more thing. I would like congratulate the Chinese people on the successful launch and crewing of their space station. At one time we in America used to dream of the star's. I'm also looking forward to the results of the Chinese molten salt thorium nuclear reactor. I wish you all the best. Very exciting technology. I'm impressed with all the advancement in technology in such a short time by the Chinese people. You should be very proud. I wish you all the best.

[@weiluenchiou2513]

Jeff Berlin Thanks for putting in all the good words. Nevertheless America remains the top country of the world. It still has many things the entire world wish to learn from and emulate

[@ilikelistentomusic]

Love the way he is politely able to tell him he is the chattering class and he is meaningless.

[@theooz]

Tom is a great interviewer. Listens, reaffirms.

[@francoisprimon2832]

I think Mr Mearsheimer is wrong about the USA prevailing against China in a war in the South China sea. The USA is completely demoralised and in 2021 has very little to no chance at all of winning against China in China's backyard. About Australia's independence, of course Australia has lost it's independence long time ago. It is not Australia's choice to join the USA "cold war' against China as Mr Mearsheimer states, it is more a case of USA "arm twisting" Australia to join. The submarines saga or AUKUS shows this very well.

[@jacklouie8096]

Just like the Vietnam War the U S force the Australia and New Zealand to the war by presiden Johnson

[@sliangchina]

53:20, They (China) want to have a say in Australian domestic politics, just the way the United States has a say in the politics of every country in the Western Hemisphere. Wow, thank you for being so honest about America. But please do not make any assumptions about China.

[@tekbam4176]

Well want to bind in the rule and act imposing economical threat, I think it is not just an assumption. Isnt it

[@hypovisual9472]

Back to 80s, US eagerly needed China's help for the sake of defeating Russian. In the 90s, and the New century, US needed China to keep the inflation in check while having wars in gulf and Afghanistan. US policy makers were not stupid. People always need to put things in different priority in different stage. US and China indeed needed each other in the last 40 years. If you were put in the position of US president 20 years ago, you would definitely do the same thing.

[@zigsharko3602]

On China and USA, which country has been doing regime change, starting wars etc🤷🏽‍♀️

[@minhng7208]

Gentlemen, China is 4 times the size of the US, sooner or later it will re-emerge and will be larger that the US economically. China’s integration has made many American corporations significantly richer.

[@RandomAussieGuy87]

China's demographic collapse will prevent it overtaking the US. It will get old before it gets rich.

[@rowo4956]

@@RandomAussieGuy87 Wishfull thinking. Think about the new technological revolution and pay more attention to Elon Musk.

[@RandomAussieGuy87]

@@rowo4956 Any technogical revolution will benefit the US as much as it benefits China. And Elon Musk is a fool. Get better heroes.

[@JBGAMBIT]

Elon Musk and the many “PT Barnum’s” that are pushed out onto The idiot box are the Shiny objects distracting the Citizens. The Real #’s we won’t know, because they won’t tell us. For All we know, China could have Edged the US out already… you’ll never be told. Heck, they Can’t even give you real GDP, Unemployment or inflation #’s! Everything is cyclical, China has Been around for thousands of years. Have risen and fallen several times, and have risen again. Like all countries, they have internal problems, but the US is on the brink of major internal Conflict… many say even a Civil war perhaps. All of the Pentagon war games Say differently of the guest. As Everyone Here I’m sure knows, China launched a hypersonic missile that went circumnavigated the globe, Yet no agency knew??? If you Had smuggled a Cuban cigar Into the country, they would Know. Regarding Germany, he failed To mention that without Russia, The Allies would have lost. Then they turn right around and Make an enemy of Russia. As for Germany, perhaps if the US and others had not financed The n@z!s, then perhaps that war would’ve never happened. However, the bankers and those That run the world needed that War so that they could create the EU and League of Nations. Of course now the UN. Follow the money, but more Importantly, follow the power! … the people way above Presidents and Prime Ministers! The ones you never see.

[@wayangpok]

That's why for the sake of maintaining hegemony, the US has to suppress China now and not a moment should be lost.

[@barumbadum]

Thans for this great interview... Mearsheimer is the best neorealist alive.

[@LaVictoireEstLaVie]

I do not agree with his ideology but at least he is being honest without BSing around like most of the other Anglo-American thinkers/ideologues when they talk about international affairs when they use/abuse empty words such as "democracy", "rule of law", "freedom", etc..

[@josephturner7305]

That was fantastic! Subscribed

[@jayceh]

Mearsheimer is a far more astute China observer than the so-called experts out there. However, I think one thing he's missing is China's commitment to neutrality and non-interventionism - not out of the goodness of its heart - but by observing the successes of Switzerland and Singapore - a posture of _aggressive_ neutrality. That's why the West currently cannot understand the Chinese position vis-a-vis Russia and Ukraine.

[@speedm.8946]

The US needs excuse to set heavier sanctions on China to retain its growth. Like how they start invasions in Iraq, with a tube of washing powder, they claim the Iraq have bio weapons. But they never find it after destroyed a booming country. The water in US politics is deep.... every country in the country come to an order that is American and its alliances benefits always the first

[@tinatang1]

Australia has already lost her sovereignty. Remember what you once said to Australians? MR Mearsheimer you warned the Australians that they can't not side with the US, that they must sacrifice their prosperity for the security the US would provide Australia but the US is unreliable as an ally.

[@a11u45]

Australia hasn't lots it's Sovreinity, it's still an independent nation.

[@tinatang1]

@@a11u45 Australia does not have a foreign policy. She does everything the US orders her to do because she fears her Asian neighbours and looks to the US to progect her. The irony is Australia was getting along very well with China and ASEAN until Trump came along and started a trade war with China. So Australia also started imposing taxes on certain Chinese goods, smear Huawei, and accuse China of manufacturing Covid-19, all to show Australia's obedience to US orders.

[@a11u45]

@@tinatang1 well Australia is the US's ally with common interests. As an Australian I don't want Chinese equipment used my Australian 5g neweorks for example, it's better to put our networks in the hands of companies like Nokia and Ericson (Finnish and Danish). You are right that Australia has been stupid in imposing tariffs on Chinese goods, instead Australia should avoid provoking China while at the same time building up military capabilities against China. Australia does not have much to gain by the rise of China, just like the US. China is an economic partner, but that comes at the cost of having a large and powerful military rival

[@riverdragon5020]

@@tinatang1 All good decisions from Oz. Takes two to Tango....Tang.

[@nnkh2o73]

@@a11u45 Nokia belongs to the Chinese. Just saying.

[@bradfordsaunders3874]

I would llike a clear and a concise explanation as to why Chinese dominationif the pacific is a security threat to Australia.

[@ramraghuwanshi2562]

U r the principal of a school.. Now someone else is made principal... How will it affect u? U r still a teacher getting paid equal but now u aren't the leader. U can't command other. Ur ideas, ur companies may get discriminated etc

[@bradfordsaunders3874]

@@ramraghuwanshi2562 Australia is a great power, but not a principal. The US is. Why should Autralia care if China has more influence that the USA? China is Australia's top trade partner and the top market for Australian goods, according to Aussies themselves . Makes no sense.

[@qinggao391]

@@bradfordsaunders3874 because Chinese are not white. The mistrust on different race is always there as the root of the perceived threat. If you'd don't feel that way, good for you. But many people aren't...

[@ramraghuwanshi2562]

@@bradfordsaunders3874 well China will control internal politics etc everything of Australia just as usa does in latin America.. So, if Australia doesn't wanna become Cuba, Venezuela then it must make sure it has a friend to counter china

[@bradfordsaunders3874]

@@qinggao391 Huh? Interesting point of view.

[@juanitaskelton448]

Absolutely wonderful talk..bravo

[@ChathurkaMadhushan]

His comments about keeping Chinese poor is absolute ruthless. But I respect him for the honesty. No dancing around the bush like others.

[@mokhathi]

Fascinating discussion.

[@Adv_studying]

Might I recommend the Hoover Institution? That channel can be pretty insightful.

[@gregorywilson2124]

The clear precise unemotional logic used by Mr Mearscheimer when making his arguments is very refreshing and sadly missing

[@johannuys7914]

Refreshingly imperialist. White exeptionalism.

[@ShinyDee1303]

@@johannuys7914 just reality lol

[@BuddyLee23]

You can directly see just how important and frightening his words are for China with how much of the ‘50 cent’ army have come out to denounce him in the comments. It’s hilarious to see how many of these pseudonyms are howling mad! 😆

[@kitnascimento0]

@@johannuys7914 the guy is judas not really "white"

[@kitnascimento0]

Refreshing? He aparently have been in hybernation since 2001? Does he know the debacles his military has been suffering against stateless actors with little resources? Iraq and afghanistan or even going back to vietnam and korea. Yet he thinks that they will have a better shot in a conflict with a oponnent with more resources? Sure if china tried to fight the US across the pacific like japan did they would lose but they don´t have to do that, all they need is to keep the war restricted to their imediate vicinity where they can use their missile forces to deny any base for the US navy and air force to project power. That is a realistic scenariao where china can win.

[@julietao2554]

Though he is brilliant political scholar and lecturer, he understands very little about Chinese culture just like the rest of US. We will never behave like the US.

[@ms-jl6dl]

Vietnam,Laos,Burma,North Korea? Fishing ships destroying everything,"Belt and road" initiative, robbing countries from products (baby formula,masks),terrorising Tibetans,Uygurs and own population...

[@julietao2554]

@@ms-jl6dl I really don’t think you have any idea what you are talking about. Conflicts can happen between any two neighboring countries. Also Xinjiang province is part of China, Uygurs people enjoy many benefits only giving to minority people such as no birth control, lower admission scores to college, and they have the freedom to practice their religion and study their own language, etc. However, any activities seeking independence of the region is strictly prohibited by the government. It’s national interest and security, especially in this chaotic world. Laos people really enjoy their very first high speed train built by Chinese worker as part of “belt and road” project. It will greatly help the local economy along the railroad. It’s mutual beneficial.

[@yiniu4596]

Democracy is not authoritative, nor dominating. The master and authority of democracy is in everyone's own heart. Therefore, it is said that democracy requires self-awareness, and the people’s choice. This is the true spirit of democracy.