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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group
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To: NightOwl who wrote (97327)5/3/2003 10:48:27 AM
From: Sun Tzu  Read Replies (1) of 281500
 
For that conclusion my dear N.O. you need to consult the Spring and Autumn Annals of the Middle Kingdom. Both sides made arguments for their views, but I think actions (as in a thousand years of war) speak louder than the words. True enough, the Chinese mostly believed in using Barbarians against Barbarians. And rulers and ministers preferred to believe in the myth of cultural attraction whereby their vastly superior Chinese civilization, founded upon Virtue and reinforced by opulent material achievements would simply overwhelm the uncultured (hmmm...seems awfully close to some arguments I hear about America based on democracy and capitalism using some evil regimes against other evil regimes <vbg>). So for the most parts, China did not embark on a worldwide conquest. But I think that was mostly because the barbarians were not seen as worthy of inclusion in the middle kingdom.

But all this historical talk aside, has there ever been a great general, or king, or a religious leader who in his heart of hearts did not believe expanding into the known universe? Even a love filled doctrine like Christianity did not find it untasteful to devour the weak (for the good of its victims, of course). How can any general feel safe, so long as there are those who can wage war against him.
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