Written by Frank Li
Adversity reveals the best and the worst in you, both individually and as a country. Covid-19 has revealed the best and the worst of China and America.
In this post, I will present a theory of “resilience for countries”.
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0. Theory of resilience for countries
The image below highlights the theory.
It defines the resilience of a country by three dimensions as follows:
- Governance.
- Culture.
- Natural resources.
Let me elaborate on each …
1. Governance
The image below highlights my theory of “an ideal form of government”.
For more, read: Towards an Ideal Form of Government.
2. Culture
A great culture is developed over centuries, lasting beyond many [forms of] governments or even dynasties.
A great culture is a cornerstone of a country built to last, regardless of the government (at a time). Needless to say, a good government facilitates positive development of a culture, while a bad one impedes the development or even destroys a culture.
Two informative readings on “culture” and its development:
3. Natural resources
By “natural resources”, we meant “land” in ancient times. Today, however, we mean “oil and gas” additionally, as in the Mideast. People have been fighting for them ever since the notion of a “nation-state” was born, and will continue to do so, forever.
The image below highlights the essence of the dispute in the South China Sea: “It’s [the potential for] oil and gas, stupid!”
4. The “ideal”
Ideally, a country wants to have all three to the fullest extent.
China has been striving for it over the past 2,000 years. Three informative readings:
- Ancient Greece vs. Ancient China.
- Ancient Rome vs. Ancient China.
- The Era of the Byzantine Empire vs. Ancient China.
So has America, over the past 200 years (Wikipedia – American imperialism).
Unfortunately, nothing is so ideal in real life …
5. The U.S. vs. China in resilience
The image below highlights where the U.S. and China stand in “resilience”.
Simply put, China is way ahead in “governance” and “culture”, while the U.S. is hugely advantageous in “natural resources”.
Three informative readings:
- Governance in China: Past, Present, and Future.
- Governance in America.
- The U.S. vs. China: A Great Experiment vs. A Great Civilization!
Covid-19 has just made it more abundantly obvious. Two informative readings:
6. Discussion
In a globalized world like ours, a virus anywhere is a virus everywhere. While worldwide efforts must be made consistently to prevent an outbreak from happening, it is the ability to handle an outbreak (e.g. preventing it from becoming a pandemic) that differentiates a great country from an average one.
6.1 Covid-19 and China
Overall, China’s response to Covid-19 has been very good. However, China does have many problems, with the biggest one being this: older is not always better! Two examples:
- China is an old country, with a lot of people living over there. Unfortunately, viruses tend to break out in a country with high human population density.
- The (minor) culture of eating wild animals, including bats, is bad.
Good news for the world: China has banned the wet markets all over the country!
Even better news for the world: Whatever the Chinese government wants gets done!
Bottom line: Covid-19 is the most significant event since WWII. China will come out of it in the best shape, relatively speaking, thanks to its advantages in governance and culture.
6.2 Covid-19 and the U.S.
Below is an excerpt from this article: America Is Acting Like a Failed State.
A global pandemic is a mandatory exam in national competence. It is a test for individuals, who have to change their life and withdraw from public events to slow the spread of a disease through crowds and social networks. It is a test for companies, which must change their protocols to protect their employees, sometimes by banishing them from the office. It is a test for institutions, which must decide whether to uphold traditions and festivals for the sake of public morale, or to cancel events, tournaments, conferences, and concerts.
And it is, above all, a test for the state. Only the national government can oversee the response to a national outbreak by coordinating research on the nature of the disease. Only the state can ensure the national regulation and accuracy of testing, and use its fiscal and monetary might to stimulate the economy if the pandemic threatens people’s income and employment.
More fundamentally, everything has become political, even mask-wearing!
6.3 Covid-19: The U.S. vs. China
The image below is worth more than 1,000 words!
Specifically, China has not only the most advanced Covid-19 testing, both the capability (Chinese Covid-19 test kit outstrips alternatives in Dutch study) and the practice (Wuhan Tests Almost 7 Millions in 12 Days as China Fears Second Virus Wave), but also a high-tech driven tracing capability (e.g. wide-spread cell phone tracing, facial recognition, and cashless). In contrast, the U.S. has neither, thus resorting to the most primitive method of pandemic control: herd immunity, albeit very cautiously.
The results speak most loudly – Covid-19 deaths (May 26, 2020):
- China: 4,645.
- America: ~100,000!
Better yet for China, its re-opening and recovery will be much smoother and faster than America’s! Two main reasons:
- China’s economy is slightly more resilient than America’s.
- China’s society is slightly more resilient than America’s.
Too bad this virus was first detected in China. Otherwise, my argument would be even stronger.
6.4 Covid-19: lessons learned?
Covid-19 is not the first pandemic virus, nor will it be the last. Therefore, not only must we prevail this time, we must also be best prepared for the next one!
Specifically, in addition to each country working harder to improve its resilience, we must cooperate, worldwide, via a global organization like the United Nations, including WHO – World Health Organization.
Unfortunately, neither is possible for America!
Why not?
America is not a country built to last!
Specifically, America will keep consuming its rich natural resources, until all is gone, without much advanced development in governance and culture! For more, read: America: It’s Democracy, Stupid!
America, reform our failing political system, as I have suggested (American Democracy – Why is it failing & how to fix it?), or become a fiddle, second to China!
7. Closing
Resilience is a huge subject. This is yet another framework to frame my school of thought on Saving America, Chinese Style.
Now, please sit back and enjoy the short video below.
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