China, Teleological^[1] State

China Teleological State have heard that the ruler of a state or the head of a household does not worry that his people are poor. But that wealth is inequitably distributed. He does not worry that his people are few in number but that they are not harmonious. He does not worry that his people are unstable but that they are insecure for, if wealth is equitably distributed, there is no poverty; if the people are harmonious, they are not few in number; if the people are secure, they are not unstable. Confucius, Analects

I have been warning that China is overtaking us so rapidly. That we, the collective West, will become irrelevant before 2030. For this, I have been variously called a communist, a Chinese propagandist, a liar, a fantasist and worse. When I compiled and published evidence for this fifteen years ago–abundant even then–and sent it to members of Congress.

The Administration and department heads, the only response was a personal letter from the DG of the Central Intelligence Agency. Telling me that the Agency’s research pointed in the same direction and that he regularly briefed politicians to this effect. Though his response to the threat seems inadequate.

President Trump is at least aware of the predicament and his grasp of it is much firmer and more accurate than our media give him credit for.

The precautionary principle suggests that when potential collective hazards are at stake, i.e. Hazards the very existence of which has not been either formally established or refuted by sound scientific approaches. Such hazards are just asserted as potential, with various degree of plausibility, under existing scientific knowledge. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage to. America’s independence, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be using as a reason for postponing. Cost-effective measures to prevent our becoming irrelevant within ten years.

Countries in the Roman political tradition, like us, don’t have national goals. Shit happens and we deal with it, but we’re not going anywhere in particular. We may have aspirations, like Making America Great Again, or bursts of activity stimulated. By outside events, like Apollo, or wars to maintain the status quo, but no goals and no plans. We’re just bozos, on a bus steer by an invisible hand, heading nowhere in particular.

China Teleological State, by contrast, has national goals. Two in fact, and what makes them remarkable is that they were set two thousand five hundred years ago.

What makes them germane is that they will reach the first goal in 2021. But first, some background.

Three thousand years ago, in a land the size of modern France. In the intensively agricultural Yellow River Valley literate Shang. People used currency to trade in silks, jade and exquisite bronzes and, even then. Called themselves “the Middle Kingdom.” In one Shang state the Duke of Zhou, regent for a child prince. Governed compassionately. Extended the realm, taxed the rich, and enriched the poor. When the young monarch came of age he retired to compose music. Revise the legal code and edit the still-loved Book of Poems. His name became a household word and his legacy. The Mandate of Heaven, still guides every. Chinese leader governments earn legitimacy by improving people’s lives and lose it when they don’t.

China’s Social Credit Dàtóng Dreams

Five centuries after the Duke’s death, Confucius, a sometime official and full time political scientist. Proposed that rulers improve their citizens’ lives by adopting three principles:

1. Treat the nation as a big family and every citizen as a cherished relative^[2].
2. Transform the Big Family’s dreams into concrete goals.
3. Appoint only exemplary men like the Duke to lead the Big Family towards the goals.

Since social harmony was already a Chinese dream, Confucius outlined two steps for establishing it:

1. Create a xiaokang^[3] (moderately prosperous) society that provides for every member’s basic needs, because, “Rulers who led their people to a Xiaogang lifestyle were pillars of courtesy, sincerity, justice and virtue—while those who were not lost power and everyone regarded them as pests.”
2. Create a dàtóng^[4] (Great Community) society so honest and cooperative that no-one locks their doors at night and everyone has sufficient leisure for art and contemplation of the Tao.

Pointing to the drawbacks of hereditary power, he urged kings to replace quarrelsome nobles with exemplary officials. “Morally upright superiors relate to ordinary people like wind to grass: grass bends when the wind blows over it.”

Competent, honest officials would naturally establish a chain of respect, from dutiful children through parents. Grandparents, clan heads, and benevolent officials to the Emperor himself.

A chain of respect would also simplify law enforcement. “I have yet to see anyone create disorder who is respectful of superiors.” Members of the Big Family would instinctively emulate. Their superiors’ good example and willingly follow their instructions.

Since then, China Teleological State dynasties have striven to follow Confucius’ instructions and, the closer they came–sure enough–the happier their people were. The Song Dynasty^[5], which got closer than any, was one of China’s Golden Ages. Now, back to the present..

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OLIGARCHIES: CHINA’S AND AMERICA’S

Mao^[6] committed the Kang Youwei’s Dàtóng Shu^[7] to memory, advocated it to colleagues, and set dàtóng as the national goal. Here’s a sample:

Now to have states, families, and selves is to allow each individual to maintain a sphere of selfishness. This infracts utterly the Universal Principle (google) and impedes progress.

Therefore, not only states should abolish. So that there would be no more struggle between the strong and the weak; families should also be done away with so that there would no longer be inequality of love and affection [among men]; and, finally, selfishness itself should banish, so that goods and services would not be used for private ends. …

China in 2021

The only [true way] is sharing the world in common by all, Tien Xia weighing … To share in common is to treat each and everyone alike. There should be no distinction between high and low, no discrepancy.

Between rich and poor, no segregation of human races, no inequality between sexes. … All should be educated and support with the common property; none should depend on private possession. … This is the way of the Great Community [datong] which prevailed in the Age of Universal Peace

In 2021, the first centenary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party, China will enter the xiaokang phase, when every Chinese, without exception will have a home, an income, plenty of food, clothes, education, safe streets, health- and old age care^[8]. In 2035, the country will reach the halfway point when it becomes the most equitable on earth in both income and wealth. They’re already well on their way:

and in 2049 they will complete it, when China becomes ‘a strong, democratic, civilized, harmonious, and modern socialist country.’

Then it’s on to dàtóng–for which preparations have already begun, in the form of the Social Credit program. The first step towards creating a totally trusting, trustworthy society. See Social Credit, Datong Dreams for more on this.

About Work and Wages in China

How does the average Chinese feel about where his country is heading? Funny you should ask..

1. Relating to the doctrine of design and purpose ↑
2. Perfect strangers still address one another as ‘aunty,’ ‘uncle,’ ‘sister,’ and’ ‘grandfather.’ ↑
3. President Xi mentioned xiaokang fifteen times in his 2017 New Year’s address. ↑
4. Age of Universal Peace. ↑
5. C. 1000 AD ↑
6. When the CCP speaks of ‘Mao Thought’ they are referring to this and its practical implications. ↑
7. Datong Shu (Book on the Great Community) a commentary by Kang Youwei. ↑
8. There will then be more prisoners, drug addicts, suicides and executions, more homeless, poor. And hungry citizens in America than in China. ↑

CHINA DREAMS OF Gini