chapotraphouse

The Chinese aren't going to be the problem. It will be the American ruling class (and their supporters) that will go deeply reactionary as their global power slips into Chinese hands.

• In the near term, a lot of products will become more expensive (tariffs, manufactured overseas, etc) as waning American global hegemony no longer can use it's power to keep foreign countries exports inexpensive. Chocolate and Coffee are a preview of coming attractions.
• Longer term the US might no longer be seen as a place for International Students and workers. They might go to China instead to study and get jobs. US Citizens might choose to study/work in China too, causing a brain and talent drain from the US.
• It will be foreign policy where the "Chinese Century" will be felt most directly as they become the new global hegemon. You can already see how this works with their "Belt and Road" initiatives as they now have sizable trade partners around the globe. It also slots well with the overall Chinese strategy of building infrastructure. It also circumvents the US trade hegemony.
• The Yuan becomes a serious contender for the worldwide Reserve Currency as trade with China booms. This replaces the dominance of the Petrodollar, and is an existential threat to both US soft and hard power.
  • It cripples the US's ability to unilaterally sanction anybody out of US banking, thus becoming increasingly powerless.
  • It also makes the US's ability to constantly run deficits much harder as US bonds aren't sold.
  • Harder to raise deficits to support the US military as it takes up the most of the Federal budget.
    • Expect drastic cuts (like DOGE :melon-musk:) to make way for the military spending to...
    • ...prop up the fading global influence militarily, like invading Canada/Greenland
  • Of everything here this will trigger the largest and deepest period of Reaction because the consequences hit everybody, from the Military, to Politicians and their bureaucracies, Capitalists and their companies, and finally regular Americans.