Finally:
the reality of postwar Japan has been of an authoritarian society with a strongly nationalised agenda.
This system follows from their adventurism into Manchuria and the Koreas, and, after the war, is imitated in South Korea and Taiwan, two avowedly free market economies competing with the west. The latter is true, but even more importantly they are cooperating with China, and more importantly economically, hold significant amounts of U.S. debt, have a good balance of payments between themselves, and are controlling U.S. corporations for their own benefit.
Confucian America
Having recognized the extent of Chinese influence on U.S. corporations, or more correctly western corporations, Fingleton extends that in the surprising statement, “It is a reasonable inference that China’s agenda is being supported at very high levels almost right across the board in corporate America.” Several examples are explored demonstrating the control China has over U.S. corporations setting up business in China. From their the case is presented on how China has increasing influence within U.S. politics via various think tanks and lobbying groups, academia, university research, and the media.
The speed and ease with which this has happened returns back to Japan, which has “pursued trade policies deeply damaging to American interests but has consistently lied about these policies,” and “have been equally well informed on China’s strategy.” Japan and China are working together and “in almost every area of policy, Japan has consistently helped China.”
In closing – U.S. loses
The book ends on many disparaging notes for the U.S.
- “there is no solution in sight to the American trade problem.”
- At its root “is an implosion in America’s once world dominating manufacturing base.”
- In the last twenty years, total manufacturing jobs “have fallen by about two-thirds” remembering this was before the recent employment crash.
- The trade problem “is being exacerbated by the increased outsourcing of advanced services.”
- Economic leadership is passing to non-democratic governments. [while the U.S. is becoming less and less democratic itself.]
Finally:
the pattern for the United States to depend on Beijing for credit is already beginning to resemble the relationship between a colony and the imperial capital.”
Finally, finally
The case argued by Fingleton is well presented even to his footnote on the efforts made by other sources to discredit his work, much in the manner in which China handles its own dissent. This is a rich, well referenced work, highly thought provoking with a solid basis in current events as the wars in Central Asia continue to unfold, and as the U.S. economy continues to shed jobs and wealth, while the corporations supported with much government printed wealth start to rise even more above the masses. Only time will tell the true course of events globally, but the influence of China on the U.S. will certainly alter many of the thought processes – and thus the actions – within the U.S. political/business/ military sphere.
