China is the US of the 50s-60s

Reading about China's space plans I suddenly felt like we in the US were starting to fall behind them in terms of planning and actually executing space exploration. They seem to have the exuberance that US had for space travel back in the 50s-60s.
China's view for their space program

Add to that a virtual boom economically speaking both in terms of exports and construction and it feels to me like there is a vitality there not seen in this country since LBJ. Capitalism seems to be taking off in the east.
Article on artificially cheap Chinese goods

Will Taiwan be their Korea or Vietnam? Will they feel so invincible after a long period of prosperity that they will overextend their arm?

At least on a superficial level I can see a similarity to the US of the 50s-60s and a China at the start of the 21st century. Does anyone else feel that way?

The space race is not the only venue that China is playing catchup in. With China slowly opening their doors to the US attempts to get into their economy, we are helping to build them into an even greater super power than we can really imagine. We will do it at any cost too. Bill Gates and Microsoft, who is already monopolizing their internet, has agreed to setup their web portals so that the Chinese who search on the net will not be able to search certain words that disagree with their strict politics, like "freedom," "human rights," and "democracy." Thus ensuring the communistic stronghold in their country even further. But as long as there is money to be made, who cares?

China is a sleeping giant. Or better put, they are a very patient giant who is still growing.

Right, my point wasn't really so much that they are behind the US but that they have the optimism and ambition of the US at that time.

problem is that China cant act like U.S. because of oil shortage. in anicase China is the second largest pollutor and its country is turning into a desert with a very large population and they have to import oil as well as food.

China will not start any wars. They are generally peaceful people with a few crazy leaders that will jail them and torture them for disagreeing. China for the most part is content with being left alone and allowed to strengthen their economy. They have no desire to take over the west, just to make money off us, thats all. As long as they keep making the General Tso`s chicken I`m not gonna support attacking them.

Originally posted by csulli456
China will not start any wars.

Tell that to the Vietnamese.

They are generally peaceful people with a few crazy leaders that will jail them and torture them for disagreeing.

im not sure about that looking back at their history

China for the most part is content with being left alone and allowed to strengthen their economy.

they pretty much are goin after Taiwan.

They have no desire to take over the west, just to make money off us, thats all.

possible, but they could nuke the west if we interfere with their takeover of Taiwan.

Well, what you`re saying is all possible, but if they nuked the west, do you think the recipe would servive?

China's space exploration will benefit from nearly half a century of technological advancement since the US and USSR began developing the requisite equipment to go into space. However, they will face exactly the same barriers to sending and keeping humans in space. Space may not be the final frontier, but it is definitely the most daunting of those we have faced before. One should never limit the potential of the human race, but it must be remembered that we are a part of the planet. While our energy comes from the sun, our sustenance is taken from the earth. It will take a heap of technology to over come that reality.

Regard the following:

Biosphere2



[edit on 2005/7/18 by GradyPhilpott]

700 million workers making 50 cents an hour would help any economy. It seems China has the best of both worlds, economic trade and investment while keeping such a strong stranglehold.

Any info on the US technology NASA sent to the Chinese, only to be used in their weapons program after?

Maybe 5-10 years ago, the halt of china as the number one superpower in everything could have been halted, but not now. In 20 years time they will have the worlds largest economy, in 30 years time they will have the most powerful and technologically advanced army, short of an all out global war its inevitable. But really this has been the natural position of china throughout history.

Nothing is inevitable, China could suffer massive internal problems within the next few years as the 'haves' and 'have nots' clash over the distribution of wealth.

In thurn this is a situation that the US never had to face in the 1950's as the gap between rich and poor was so much smaller.

My brother lives in Shanghai and I visited for 3 weeks at Easter, so I got a pretty good feel for the place.

Obviously there are huge differences between China now and US in the 50s - however I think in many ways this assessment is spot on. There is such a feeling of of the "American Dream" type spirit there. In this I mean that many Chinese (at least in the South East where the economy has gone particularly crazy) don't feel any limitations on what they can acheive. There is an attitude (no matter if it is misguided or not) that making a fortune is open to everyone, and not just due to your birthright. This would have been core to US attitudes decades ago.

I would recommend if you can get the air fare together you should visit Shanghai - fantasic food, amazing buildings, easy going people (who like Brits and Americans) and you can see history in the making. I plan to go back as soon as possible.

Oh dear, got to go - we appear to have had some more explosions here in London....