the French historian Jean-Baptiste Duroselle spoke of the concept of multi-polarity: "A Great power is one which is capable of preserving its own independence against any other single power.
This differed from earlier writers, notably from Leopold von Ranke, who clearly had a different idea of the world situation. In his essay 'The Great Powers', written in 1833, von Ranke wrote: "If one could establish as a definition of a Great power that it must be able to maintain itself against all others, even when they are united, then Frederick has raised Prussia to that position."
Lord Castlereagh, the British foreign secretary, first used the term in its diplomatic context, writing on 13 February 1814: "there is every prospect of the Congress terminating with a general accord and Guarantee between the Great powers of Europe, with a determination to support the arrangement agreed upon, and to turn the general influence and if necessary the general arms against the Power that shall first attempt to disturb the Continental peace."
我想世界上,近几百年来,强国各自采用了不同的倾向,互相之间的博弈也是你中有我,我中有你。我想指出的是,一个强国有没有可能able to maintain itself against all others, even when they are united?美国是super power,前苏联恐怕也是。美国,或者前苏联,能不能maintain itself against all others, even when they are united?答案应该是否定的。
但是,伟大的中华复兴呢?弯道超车是个什么东东?就是要超吧,争第一吧。我不由得想起十几年前,有一次我跟一位华为的资深专家聊华为为什么能成功。他说华为的最主要的法宝,就是找一个对手,领先的世界第一,紧盯着,千方百计抄,各种办法偷。比如世界领先路由器厂商思科领先的路由器,华为就做一个多几个网口和卡,其它一样的东西,然后宣布自己的是更牛的产品。这种思维和方法论最终会是演变成黑寡妇,看其它女性都不入眼的,也就是great power的一个定义:able to maintain itself against all others, even when they are united。中共的外交官近来经常讲的“中国人不吃那一套”,跟习近平当初在墨西哥讲的外国人多管闲事是一脉相承的。我认为中共,包括很多中国人都有able to maintain itself against all others, even when they are united的底气,否则就不是什么中华复兴了。 从心理学角度来看,这基本是卑后亢的反弹,橡皮筋功能。
为什么我说这也是寄生思维呢?因为需要一个对手,强大的领先的对手,可以抄,偷,学,然后嘴亢混过去。黑寡妇能maintain itself against all others, even when they are united?I seriously doubt it。
OK,英国人发明,美国人传承的great power博弈,是不同的。英国人在19世纪中,二十世纪初,内部有多种竞争的流派。一种是维护,维持大英commonwealth,并且继续扩张,另一个是引导并玩弄强国之间的博弈。第一次世界大战时,英国国内有很激烈的辩论,英国需要不要参战?即便是现在,也时常会有一些相关话题的辩论。一战的结果,让英国内部精英和权贵采用了引导并玩弄强国之间的博弈的政策方向,因为自身无法维持great power status,更谈不上扩张,这才是后来支持各种殖民地独立的根本原因。也就是说英国人很明智,they know they were not able to maintain itself against all others, even when they are united。怎么引导并玩弄强国之间的博弈?英国人有一个世界需要三个power互相竞争博弈的理论,只有那样才最符合英国的利益。不久前我介绍了几本书,其中详细描述了英国人的great game策略。具体,二十世纪二战后,美苏两极不够,欧洲属于美国控制,还会是不稳定,需要引进第三方,中国或者印度。这跟美国本土精英权贵主张建立世界新秩序是匹配的。ideal model是一个精英synarchism控制的世界,下面至少要有三个great power,互相竞争,博弈,欧洲原来的多极尝试过了,美苏两极也玩过了,美国单极也玩的差不多了,it is time for a new world order,synarchism下面三极,或者多极,控制这几极的办法其实很明显,也简单,健康,安全,反恐,也就是习近平主席经常念的满足人民日益增加的,向往美好生活的需求。
OK,在我的这个认知框架里,美国玩中共的中国,还是中共玩美国? 当然都不是,都是我和我的兄弟在楼上俱乐部顶楼里设计的。我也不能说是我们在玩弄美国和中国,只是顺应他们各自的主要需求。比如,中共的中国要鼓吹中华复兴,而且还要黑寡妇那样建立能力to maintain itself against all others, even when they are united。美国要不劳而获,享受另类高质量寄生生活,至少还要十年,这两者都还会继续这个path,互相需要对方,why not let them? 等到技术ready,实用后,whatever problem both of them created,will be solved easily,such as 健康,安全,反恐等等,we control everything。
这篇的最后,我想说,不仅仅是中国人民,世界也需要习近平,我和我兄弟也需要,不管你反对还是支持,you just have to deal with it!