Marxism and its Prominence in China

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CHINA - Marxist macroeconomics claims that in any historical epoch, the means of economic production and exchange of goods lay the foundation of every event thereafter. Karl Marx, the founder of Marxian economics, concludes that the roots of an economic structure, alone, explain the entire history and politics not only of a nation, but of mankind. He places blame on the rich, “bourgeoisie”, as the group responsible for the oppression of the lower class and for the tiers that divide those of different economic status.

Shanghai, Photo by Mussi Katz

His writing establishes ways to remove inequality, further reasoning a need to remove all barriers that contribute to diversity among individuals. Marx establishes a sameness that antagonizes human nature. Furthermore, Marxist macroeconomic theory is compelling due to its depiction of a “utopian” economic structure; however, when put in action, it fails repeatedly.

Marxian economics is defined as a school of economic thought based on the roles of labor and development in the macro-economy. It was founded upon principles laid out in two bodies of work, The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital. Albeit the content of Marx and Engel’s writing is alluring, it is flawed. If executed, the entire economy would never generate any revenue because everyone would make the same regardless of their amount of work. This is evident as both supply and demand remain constant when the income of an entire population remains constant.

Marxian economics also claims: in order for the production of goods to occur, labor is needed, therefore the value of a good must accommodate both the materials needed to produce it and the manufacturer. Once again, an even distribution of wealth is justified and Marx argues: the manufacturing of goods costs too much to generate more revenue for those who provide more labor. This argument fails to understand that a low GDP is the result of an even distribution of wealth, hence the inability for communist societies to pay manufacturers for their services. His argument remains paradoxical as he claims the poor economy is the reason those who work harder cannot make more, but then claims the structure of an economy must never establish a difference in wealth among its people. 

Historically, Marxian principles were practiced first in the Soviet Union following the October Revolution, around 1848. At this time, in The Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels called for a revolt against capitalism by saying:” Workers of the World Unite”, a message that drew in many, rapidly. Soon after, Vladimir Lenin and the Bolksheviks seized power over Russia, jump starting the first society structured after Marxian ideals. As a result, the czar’s officials were executed and prisoner-of-war labor camps were established. These extreme exertions of power, and lack of consequences following, are reflective of a society with no given higher power.  

Another example of a failing communist society is China. Presently, China remains a communist country, with roots in 1921, modeled after the Russian Revolution. During World War II, the support of communism in China grew exponentially and nationalists were dictated by communists. 

In 1997, Hong Kong, which was known as a British colony, returned to Chinese control, but with it in writing that “current social and economic systems” and “lifestyle” in Hong Kong would remain the same for 50 years. Legally, Hong Kong is supposed to continue operating under a capitalist economy; thereby allowing rights to speech, press, assembly, and religious beliefs among residents until at least 2047. According to this, the Chinese government is violating their own Sino-British Joint declaration. This is just one example of how communist leaders tend to abuse their power, as they can always override their citizens. 

Protests in Hong Kong began to emerge in 2019 when a proposed bill stated it would allow local authorities to “detain and extradite” fugitive offenders that are wanted in areas that Hong Kong does not have extradition agreements with. Protests arose out of fear that there would be a legalized kidnapping and fear for the future after 2047 when the Sino-British Joint declaration expires. 

In the Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels argue that intellectual property is also a product of society, therefore, according to this school of economic thought, privacy is almost non-existent. There are myriad issues with privacy violations and ethical concerns among the citizens of communist societies regarding technology. For instance, anything that a Chinese citizen does on a software platform is open for the government to view. 

Ultimately, Marxian ideas of total government control and an equal distribution of wealth in order to combat oppression, cause more oppression. He depicts a world where those who work harder make the same as those who work less. Marxian macroeconomic theory is also oblivious to the need for economic growth, and when applied, it is impossible for such to occur. Moreover, in every society where Marx’s principles have been applied, the people have rebelled. It is evident in instances like these, Marxian macroeconomics does not and will not ever work. 

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India-China Clash Could Be a Sign of Things to Come

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INDO-CHINA BORDER - The most violent border clash in decades between China and India occurred last week.  Is war between the world's two most populous nations really possible? Probably not, but the growing tension between them is reflective of the evolving power balance throughout Asia, experts say. Chinese military and diplomatic influence are surging throughout the region while India, backed heavily by the Trump administration, is increasingly poised as the West's strategic counterweight.  Ongoing low-level conflict, accompanied by occasional flashpoints and hostilities that fall short of open war, may be inevitable now.

India Chinese Military March in Tandem, Photo Source Edtimes.in

Ostensibly, last week's skirmish occurred because India discovered that China had built two tents and observation towers on the Indian side of the historical Line of Actual Control (LAC) that separates the two countries.  Earlier, China had brought in pieces of machinery, cut a trail into a Himalayan mountainside, and may have even dammed a river, satellite pictures suggest.  That would constitute an open breach of the LAC agreement, and in theory, would be an act of war.

However, anticipating an Indian advance, China decided to pull back its forces, leaving the tents and towers behind.  The Indian army soon destroyed the structures, but according to Beijing, unlawfully crossed into China to confront its troops.

The ensuing clash involving some 900 soldiers did not, in fact, include shooting.  Under current rules of engagement, Chinese and Indian soldiers are supposed to keep their rifles slung on their backs. The two sides, armed with little more than spike-studded batons and rocks, squared off, leaving 20 soldiers dead.  China also captured 10 Indian soldiers, who were released within a day after hastily arranged negotiations.

At one level, the outbreak of open hostilities is something of a shocker.  It' s been 50 years since China and India last clashed – in 1967, over the disputed Kashmir region.  An earlier conflict occurred in 1962, in part due to India recognition of the Dali Lama in Tibet and its refusal to allow Chinese patrols along its claimed border.   In that era, the Soviet Union and China were competing for global influence. With growing Sino-Indian tension, Moscow made a significant effort to support India, notably with the sale of advanced MiG fighter-aircraft.  In response, the United States and Britain refused to sell advanced weaponry to India, causing it to side formally with the Soviet Union in the deepening Cold War.       

But the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the ever-expanding economic influence of China and the rise of the Asian Pacific as a renewed zone of geopolitical competition has altered this calculus.  The West, anxious to protect its long-standing allies from China's robust expansion, has been searching for a new strategic partner.  And with Japan's persistent reluctance to increase defense spending, successive American administrations, starting with President Obama's, have been forced to look elsewhere. 

Almost out of nowhere, India, which in 2014 elected its first conservative government overturning decades of entrenched center-left rule, has emerged as the perfect ally.    

The new Indian-American alliance has proceeded rapidly under the Trump administration, which has made no secret of its desire to transform the world's largest democracy into a bulwark against Chinese ambitions.  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi rolled out the red carpet for Trump during the American president's high-level visit to Delhi in late February when the two leaders announced that Delhi planned to purchase some $3 billion worth of U.S.-made military helicopters for its navy and additional Apaches.

Already, the new Indo-American alliance has yielded a 2016 military base-sharing agreement, transfers of sensitive defense technologies, and increasingly routine cooperation in military exercises.  

The United States wants India to remain the Pacific's dominant maritime power and is also investing in India border security, which, over time, could implicate America in Delhi's never-ending border conflicts with China.

Still, India is playing a cagey game.  It cannot afford an open conflict with China any more than the United States can.  And with continuing internal conflict in the Kashmir region and with its Muslim minorities, as well as its long rivalry with Pakistan, the country has pressing security needs elsewhere.

Even as the two countries spar over their long-standing territorial disputes, India and Chian continue to explore avenues for cooperation.  After the 6th Annual China India Economic Summit held last September, Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met for the first time to establish a high-level economic and trade dialogue mechanism.   The two leaders also agreed to designate 2020 as the beginning of a new era of cultural and people-to-people exchanges, with 70 events scheduled to mark the 70th anniversary of China-India diplomatic ties. 

Thanks to the latest border dispute, these friendly engagements have been placed on hold for the time being. Looking ahead, one should expect more low-level saber-rattling between China and India, accompanied by high-flown diplomatic rhetoric, but still carefully calibrated to avoid escalation.  Not surprisingly, the Trump administration, which publicly siding with India in last week's border dispute, also disavowed any intent to intervene, calling it a matter for India to decide.  And Beijing, for its part, has also downplayed the incident, abandoning its traditional efforts to portray fallen Chinese soldiers as national "martyrs."

This may well be the new face of "Cool" War in the Pacific-- or perhaps "Hot" Diplomacy would be more accurate.  Amid the flurry of charges and counter-charges, there is simply too much at stake economically for America, India, and China to allow their inevitable tensions to escalate into prolonged hostilities and outright war.  To be sure, battles of the kind that occurred last week could result in unintended military escalation and more considerable diplomatic fallout.  And should that happen, India could find itself pushed, willy-nilly, into a full-throated embrace of the West.                                                  

For now, though, all parties are keeping their options open. After all, there's a critical American presidential campaign underway, and Trump might well lose reelection.  That would give pro-Chinese forces within the US government a new opening.  It would likely lead to some changes in American diplomatic posturing toward China and less open hostility on trade. Paradoxically, it won't lessen the need for a China containment strategy, one which may require an increasingly well-armed, if militarily constrained, India at its core. It may even heighten that need.

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Artificial Intelligence Advances the Battle Against COVID-19

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Many countries have put their best ideas and creations to the test prevention measure to halt the spread of COVID-19, specifically in the realm of technology. Artificial Intelligence and robots are leading the way in countries putting new tech to new tests. The company “PUDU” allowed China to do trial runs on robots, that could deliver food to patients and other citizens in Wuhan during the rigorous quarantine period earlier in 2020.

Source: Pixabay

Source: Pixabay

BlueOcean robotics also sent a hoard of "UVD Robots" there, which CEO Claus Risager said, "use advanced algorithms and specialized sensors to cover all surfaces with the right amount of (virus killing) light. With this data, users can see exactly which rooms have been cleared of bacteria and viruses." These robots can complete their jobs in as little as 10-15 minutes, including their ability to reach places some humans previously couldn't. These robots are more effective in the prevention of the Coronavirus spread. First, they reduce the risk of a person becoming exposed to the virus while disinfecting an area, and they have a higher success rate in successfully decontaminating every surface and crevice of these high-risk areas.

Hong Kong has even hired these similar types of robots to assist in keeping the Hong Kong Mass Transit Rail System. Vaporizing hydrogen peroxide robots are cleaning trains and specific areas where citizens could most likely become infected due to exposure to asymptomatic carriers, or contaminated metal and plastic surfaces on which the virus can survive for several hours if not days.

Network Communication programs are using technology like "Telegram" and "Facebook" to provide an open forum for ideas to flow from engineers and other professionals using their skills to help healthcare workers see assistance in loads of accessing ventilators and masks. In fact, low efficient technology has appeared to be highly volatile in allowing virtually any and everyone to help. Face masks that have been produced locally with the help of clothing designers. These masks are distributed with a simple "Do It Yourself" instructions on social media, and even groups have dedicated their clothing manufacturing skills to gather and mass-produce masks for local hospitals.

Engineering groups have also been able to take part in helping healthcare professionals by using 3-D printing to design respirators and ventilators. A group in Spain recently assembled an open-source respirator proto-type. An Irish open-source hardware project has also produced a prototype ventilator using three-dimensional primed materials and readily available inexpensive parts. Facebook's spin attraction propelled these projects in seven days to reach more than 300 engineers, medical professionals, and researchers.

Artificial Intelligence has proven to be very useful in detection and issuance. BlueDot, a Canadian startup, has produced Artificial Intelligence that analyzes governments and news reports, along with social media, to assist in tracking infectious at blazing speed. BlueDot had already shown its ability to process information and make appropriate claims, when on January 25th this year, it issued a warning beating the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. It takes into account every possible outcome, from air travel, populations in distinct areas, climate, mosquitos, demographics, and a countries inherent ability to respond, are all included in assisting the A.I. comprehend where it will spread along with its impact.

Jack Maas of Alibaba, is also developing artificial intelligence diagnostic systems that process C.T. scans with 96% accuracy. We also see that this machine can also ease the time of reading this information, dropping dramatically from fifteen minutes to twenty seconds.

COVID-19 has had no problem showing its tenacity, but so have countries across the globe like Hong Kong and Spain, for example, using both high and low efficient technologies from robots to masks. Medical professionals, engineers, and researchers are now working in a way that no longer has any boundaries, while still practicing "Social Distancing." Thanks to technology and global participation in fighting COVID-19, we can use these innovations for future developments in society and hopefully be better equipped to prevent another mass spread, as large as the one we are witnessing now with the Coronavirus.

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