Was Napoleon Right About China?

asianobserve

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Napoleon is believed to have remarked in St. Helena: "Quand la chine s'éveillera, le monde tremblera." (When China wakes up, the world will shake.)

Is Napoleon right about China?
 

amoy

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Napoleon is equally right if replacing China with India.
 

sandeepdg

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Well, it seems he was right, given a visionary that he was.
 

asianobserve

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I think Napoleon is right, just notice at how China is shaking everybody up in the South China Sea... Epidural shot for China?
 

Godless-Kafir

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I think Napoleon and Europeans of that era where Confused about Mongols and Chinese, they dont know the difference between the two, The Mongols invaded Europe and sent shock waves and trauma into their culture and Napoleon as an Student of Military strategies must have studied their methods.

I actually pity the Chinese for the impending doom and suffering that is heading their way. When they take on the world they will get destroyed.
 
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tarunraju

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China's coffee is its own people. They always have high expectations of their leaders, and for the leaders keeping the masses pleased is the easiest way to stay in power.

In India, the masses are drowned in a sea of false-contentment with Bollywood, TV, cricket, internet, freedom, and are largely indifferent to the wrongdoings of their leaders.
 

ace009

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China's coffee is its own people. They always have high expectations of their leaders, and for the leaders keeping the masses pleased is the easiest way to stay in power.

In India, the masses are drowned in a sea of false-contentment with Bollywood, TV, cricket, internet, freedom, and are largely indifferent to the wrongdoings of their leaders.
Hey, in China, the media is so controlled that most of the people do not know better. Those that go out and see the rest of the world are bought up by the leaders with money and power. So, no problems from the masses most of the time.
India actually has more reaction from the masses - parties do lose elections if they screw up really big.
 

tarunraju

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Hey, in China, the media is so controlled that most of the people do not know better. Those that go out and see the rest of the world are bought up by the leaders with money and power. So, no problems from the masses most of the time.
India actually has more reaction from the masses - parties do lose elections if they screw up really big.
My point is, if you had the kind of open media India has in China, and if Chinese politicians and bureaucrats indulged in the kind of wrongdoings which Indian ones have, in an environment with open media, then there would be riots all over the country. In India, we're too busy with Saif-Kareena to give a flying F to those two IAS officers who stole from the Bhopal tragedy victims' funds.
 

amoy

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Stating China takes on the world is but fear mongering. At most a regional power China lacks milititary projecting power or clout beyond Asia or Pacific and also a late comer to feasts such as in Africa. By now clashes happen mostly on waters like East Sea and South Sea. It's wishful to expect China with 1.38B pop. to sleep on not to claim her legitimate rights over resources-rich seas, which is imperative to fuel a 'peaceful' rise. If caving in, CCP leadership may instantly lose credibility in face of buoyant 'nationalism' as South Sea claim was raised back in 1940s by ROC and was unchallenged by other claimants until discovery of oil/gas. Besides it's always an effecitve way to vent domestic frustrations outward while Chinese get more and more demanding economically and politically in the rapid transition.
 

asianobserve

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Stating China takes on the world is but fear mongering. At most a regional power China lacks milititary projecting power or clout beyond Asia or Pacific and also a late comer to feasts such as in Africa. By now clashes happen mostly on waters like East Sea and South Sea. It's wishful to expect China with 1.38B pop. to sleep on not to claim her legitimate rights over resources-rich seas, which is imperative to fuel a 'peaceful' rise. If caving in, CCP leadership may instantly lose credibility in face of buoyant 'nationalism' as South Sea claim was raised back in 1940s by ROC and was unchallenged by other claimants until discovery of oil/gas. Besides it's always an effecitve way to vent domestic frustrations outward while Chinese get more and more demanding economically and politically in the rapid transition.
Even now that China still lacks enough of what you call "military projecting power" it is already sucking up the territories of its neighbors. How much more if it gains enough "military projecting power?" I guess Napoleon is right on this one...
 

ace009

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Napolean was right about Russia too - which is why he lost an army there ... :D

About China and projecting power - Pakistan, North Korea, Iran, Sudan are their projected power. Think of oppressive regimes, failed states and you would see China's benevolent power behind their thrones. China is building up it's hard power, while projecting it's "soft" power onto some of the worst regimes in the world.
I remember someone from the Chinese side claimed on another post that China "has no outstanding problems/ conflicts with any of it's neighbors" or something of that sort. So, "claiming China's legitimate rights" has no conflicts associated - is that it? Hmmm, wonder what "power projection" will be like.
 

asianobserve

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Napolean was right about Russia too - which is why he lost an army there ... :D

About China and projecting power - Pakistan, North Korea, Iran, Sudan are their projected power. Think of oppressive regimes, failed states and you would see China's benevolent power behind their thrones. China is building up it's hard power, while projecting it's "soft" power onto some of the worst regimes in the world.
I remember someone from the Chinese side claimed on another post that China "has no outstanding problems/ conflicts with any of it's neighbors" or something of that sort. So, "claiming China's legitimate rights" has no conflicts associated - is that it? Hmmm, wonder what "power projection" will be like.
Sends shiverds down my spine. Going further on this discussion, this is why I am fundamentally against a multipolar World. There are simply too many "superpower" countries that can pull the trigger and the World will go down as a smoldering wreck. That's why I am really naturally inclined to maintaining the current status quo. That way when there's is a brewing trouble somewhere the lone superpower can simply announce its displeasure and the whole thing will start descalating. But if territories around the globe are partitioned according to the spheres of influence of new powers the potential for a catastrophic conflict is multiplied many times.
 
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asianobserve

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We just focus on enriching our citizens under the relative peace brought by a unipolar world. Egos should be held in check.
 

amoy

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Again and again u guys label those countries China befriends as "failed states", "oppressive regime" or rogues. Ironically India trades hugely with Sudan and Iran among them. Some posts even boast Iran provides a gateway to Afghan for India. Some other posts tell of agony over how India settled oil bills with Iran who's under sanction. Typical doublespeak at best. Get used to a multipolar world please. That "unipolar" is not altruistic either, and could be worse, without check n balance.
 

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Again and again u guys label those countries China befriends as "failed states", "oppressive regime" or rogues. Ironically India trades hugely with Sudan and Iran among them. Some posts even boast Iran provides a gateway to Afghan for India. Some other posts tell of agony over how India settled oil bills with Iran who's under sanction. Typical doublespeak at best. Get used to a multipolar world please. That "unipolar" is not altruistic either, and could be worse, without check n balance.
Iran is not a failed state.

Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sudan are failed states.
 

civfanatic

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C'mom Bangladesh isn't a failed state ! IMO it's slowly getting more stable as ties with India improve
If it's not a failed state then why are millions of Bangladeshis coming to India for jobs?

India is still a developing country, and is not exactly a top destination for immigrants. Most immigrants tend to go to developed countries. So if Bangladeshis are so desperate to leave their country to go to a country as poor as India, it should say something about the state of affairs in their own country.
 

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