After looking at the Environmental Disaster that China has become I'm of the opinion I don't want a damn thing from China............I don't care if it costs me more.
The destruction of Asia via their industrial revolution is BARBARIC.
We need to produce as much here as possible........and provide the means to deal with our own waste.........The West ignores the INHUMANITY of the Far East now........we need to open our eyes.
I would disagree with all of that.
Specifically as it relates to the environment, we seem to forget our own history. Naturally, nations build, grow and expand, and in process they have problems. Growth by nature, results in problems and issues. Every country has growth first, runs into problems, and then addresses the problems. This is normal.
Our country had this happen constantly. We had a river catch on fire, and then when you see the problem, you fix it.
China will no doubt have the same deal. They have massive growth, and then they have big problems, and then they fix the problems. This is the normal evolution of any society.
The problem the west has, is they expect modernization in backward 3rd world countries, to be instantly to western standards. That they'll have a middle class income, with western standard pollution controls, and safety on par with western standards.... and that's crazy.
It's like the phases of development is like a triathlon, and while every western country has had to go through all the phases of the triathlon, we expect China to skip straight from the first to the last, instantly.
Well it doesn't work like that. Every country has to go through these phases. Every single one of them.
Now as far as brutal governments...
Honestly, I have kind of come to the conclusion that we should largely ignore them, unless they present themselves as a real international threat. Like Iran and N.Korea I consider international threats.
However, beyond that... I have more of a Domestic Violence view on this.
I can't do anything to force a women to leave her abusive husband. I can't. Can't do it. I know this, because I have specifically tried, and it didn't work.
All you can do, is be nice, be friendly, and hope the woman eventually figures it out and leaves.
We all know that the Saudis are generally..... generally.... are supported by their people. We can't change that. Trying to oppose the Saudis will do nothing, except make us more enemies in the world, and gain sympathy for the Saudis..... again, because their people generally support them.
Similarly, the Chinese people have to be the ones that stand up to the Chinese government, and as near as I can tell, they are not inclined to do so. Opposing the Chinese government directly, will not do anything but gain sympathy for China, and rally the people around their government.
Ironically I think trade with China is the best way to invoke change in China. Whether that change is for good or bad, depends on the people. But the bottom line is, having more wealthy people in China is the only chance for change.
If you look at history, most revolutions come with wealth, rather than poverty. Poor people can't change the system, and never do. How many decades has Castro's regime been in power? And why? Because he utterly and totally impoverished the people. Poor people don't have time to protest, because they are too busy trying to not starve to death.
Same thing is true in Venezuela, and Iran even. Both of the 'revolutions' happened when standards of living were improving, and people had time to complain and protest.
Now in both countries, the public can't do anything to stop the governments. They are starving to death in Venezuela, and the protestors in Iran were just utterly slaughtered.
So in my view, engaging in trade with China, is the most likely way to raise the wealthy of the public, which could lead to positive changes for the country.
I don't think it's our duty to force change elsewhere in the world. If anything, we should offer asylum to those leaving those countries. But that's it.