That’s a good point. I am glossing over actual reasons why a liberalised China was viewed as being possible, and wasn’t a completely unreasonable view.
I think that how i personally remember it from the time was the arrogance these views were expressed with. The way they treated China’s liberalization as a forgone conclusion that is the only possible outcome. It was still in the thick of The End of History, and there was a lot of unearned triumphilism from the US establishment
this was during a time where the US was completely unchallenged economically, politically and military. There was quite a few times where this could’ve been the case, glad it never happened, as people now rightfully see just how western-style ‘democracy’ has really been.
That’s a good point. I am glossing over actual reasons why a liberalised China was viewed as being possible, and wasn’t a completely unreasonable view.
I think that how i personally remember it from the time was the arrogance these views were expressed with. The way they treated China’s liberalization as a forgone conclusion that is the only possible outcome. It was still in the thick of The End of History, and there was a lot of unearned triumphilism from the US establishment
this was during a time where the US was completely unchallenged economically, politically and military. There was quite a few times where this could’ve been the case, glad it never happened, as people now rightfully see just how western-style ‘democracy’ has really been.