>Indeed, there is something faintly bizarre about the psychotic worship of
>American values, the incantation of its applicability to each and every
>country, at a historical moment when, for the first time since its emergence
>half a millennium ago, the modern world will, in the not too distant future,
>no longer be monopolised by the west. It is not difficult to imagine that,
>by the middle of this century, both China and India will rank among the top
>five largest economies in the world, with China perhaps the biggest. Nor is
>this just an economic story, which is how it is generally told. With
>economic strength comes, in due course, political, cultural and military
>influence: such has been the case with the emergence of all great >powers
This is not completely implausible. However, after the fSU launched the sputnik there was great deal speculation about the Soviets overtaking the West. The scenarios about the emerging Japanese superstate were very popular at one stage. We know the fate of the fSU and Japan. Now we get scenarios about China or BRIC etc. There is no development without crises and China and India are no exceptions to this rule. I am somewhat wary of such scenarios for year 2050.
Ulhas