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The Beijing Consensus

How China's Authoritarian Model Will Dominate the 21st Century

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About this listen

Beijing presents a clear and gathering threat to Washington, but not for the reasons you think. China's challenge to the West stems from its transformative brand of capitalism and an entirely different conception of the international community. Taking us on a whirlwind tour of China in the world, from dictators in Africa to oligarchs in Southeast Asia to South American strongmen, Halper demonstrates that Chinas illiberal vision is rapidly replacing that of the so-called Washington Consensus.

Instead of promoting democracy through economic aid, as does the West, China offers no-strings-attached gifts and loans, a policy designed to build a new Beijing Consensus. The autonomy China offers, together with the appeal of its illiberal capitalism, have become the dual engines for the diffusion of power away from the West. The Beijing Consensus is the one book to read to understand this new Great Game in all its complexity.

©2010 Stefan Halper (P)2009 Audible, Inc. Asia China Economics Politics & Government United States World Capitalism Socialism Self-Determination Military Imperial Japan Taxation Liberalism Imperialism Iran Russia Africa Soviet Union Latin American Middle East Ancient History American Foreign Policy War

Critic reviews

"Though his position may seem pessimistic, the author does believe that China's concern with its prestige in the world gives the United States leverage in its attempt to shape the geopolitics, and he concludes this sobering, excellently argued book with a series of concrete policy recommendations to that end." (Publishers Weekly)
"To students and general-interest readers, Halper’s perspective and advice to American policy makers is a clearly conceived, jargon-free appreciation of China as ideological rival as well as commercial partner." (Booklist)
"Stefan Halper provides a thoughtful and well-researched book that addresses the impact of China's market-authoritarian model on global affairs in the century before us." (Henry Kissinger)
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An excellently argued book that is very informative and accessible to anyone even mildly interested in world affairs. Disturbing, but hopeful and constructive. I highly recommend this book to all the US haters and doomsayers who think the US hegemony is the greatest evil of our global system today. It could always be worse...
Robert Blumenfeld is a good reader, though a strange choice for this type of book, I thought. I can imagine him better reading a 19th century adventure novel or something more British or Victorian, but I got used to him eventually and it was fine.

Worth the listen!

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