Chaos Under Heaven, Josh Rogin

 

Chaos Under Heaven: Trump, Xi, and the battle for the 21st Century by Josh Rogin is a book that my wife suggested I might want to read.

Started: 4/19/2021
Completed: 4/22/2021
Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Recommended By: my wife

Review:

I have read reviews of this book by Trumpists who feel offended.  Honestly, I went to check and see if Josh Rogin was a closet conservative given the amount of time he gave Nikki Haley.  I think it is likely that he is being pretty even handed.  While it is clear that he didn't think much of Trump (the adjectives alone are indicative), when you look at it in detail he gives Trump credit when Trump makes a good decision (a decision that, in hindsight, seems appropriate).  The fact that these are so few and far between is indicative of what an awful job Trump did, not a reflection of bias.  Even Trump's own coven (yes, I am biased) disagreed with him on a myriad of issues and nobody in his orbit would argue that he liked anything but chaos.

I do not find this book compelling on the concept of the threat of China.  The case is surely made, but I'm not willing to believe that people who disagree are necessarily threatening one another.  The bullying that China has done to countries with less power, however, is eye opening and it does give the threat legs.  I will not ignore the threat possibility from this point forward, it definitely is more credible in my mind after reading this book then it was before I started.  

I'm inclined to think, however, that authoritarians have trouble dealing with equals.  The authoritarians in China are used to being in charge and not used to being balked.  I have a feeling that if they continue to bully they will find themselves excluded hard.  Major international companies are used to ducking and dodging, but they are not used to being flayed.  If China decides that ducking and dodging is not sufficient, I think China will find that it has a fight on its hands.

Fentanyl, I think, is China's response to the opium wars.  I get why they are doing it, but given the degree of resentment they feel about being victimized by it, they are likely to come to realize that taking down another government at all costs has unpleasant consequences.  The oppression of their own people has to bite them some time.  That is the end of many a dictatorship.  The question is whether it will be 200 years from now or in the next 20.  200 would not be good for the United States, I'm certain.