主题：【原创】土豆与牛肉 -- 晨枫

in the past, the key point: global power passes from one Anglo-Saxon nation to another Anglo-Saxon protestant nation. In the end, the same group of WASP elites still control the old global system or determine the new world order. Here I define WASP elites on a cultural basis. Therefore, Eisenhower, a German American and US president, is also a member of this elites.

Americans(or WASPs) beat Europeans, Asians, Arabians, Slavs and Indians in terms of innovation in designing new system to accommodate a changing world. When Europeans were still obsessed with gold standard, America had already switched to the fiat system under FDR new deal and inflated out of depression with massive government fiscal stimulus. In Europe, only Germans did the same thing but out of more militaristic reason.

France single-handedly created the 1931 credit crisis by pushing the Austrian bank Kredit Vienna into bankruptcy. French prime minister ruined Austria and Germany and pushed Hitler into power. France pretty much did nothing innovatively to solve the depression issue during 1930s. Today's France is still asleep under the old dirgiste system with most of its talents into the public service sector. Its banking and stock market regulatory systems are even inferior to those of China.

Emerging out of depression, America established deposit insurance system, medicare/social security system, and more banking and stock market regulatory systems. In Europe, we saw little innovations in comparison.

So long as there are still human beings, new economic or political crises can never be avoided. When we judge one nation over others, we need to focus on its stamina in period of turmoil.

WASP nations, on average, show that they are more open to new ideas and new talents from their former colonial elites. For any people who live in Canada, US or UK before, you can easily understand I mean.

We live in an interesting period in which the fiat currency system and post-1971 Brettonwoods II system are facing serious challenges. What will be the next better system? I do not know. I am sure Obama also has no clue. But through intellectual debates, fusion of contribution from various elite groups, the final new system will be more robust than the current one--and this process will take years, after a major stagflation period.

In the last 300 years, Anglos defeated all challenges to their global economic, cultural and military dominance. First, the Spaniards (17th), then Nederlands (17th), then France (17th and 18th), Germany(WW I and II), Japan (WWII), Russia (cold war). Those are not easy adversaries.

I saw no fundamental change to the WASP social system and its talent pool and I do not think Chinese are ready to undertake the global leadership at all.

My question for all Chinese on this forum: did you see any institutional innovation from China ever since 1978? Did we create international accounting standards, World Bank, International Monetary Funds, United Nations (or International League), NATO, national insurance system, international commmercial code, GATT, WTO, first securities law, first security market regulatory, first international settlement bank, most innovative research universities, most dynamic high-tech firms, administrative system, best management practices...

China still has a long way to go. It is a good student. But before one can take over this global leadership role, one needs to ask himself a simple question: do we have a large enough talent pool which CAN THINK INDEPENDENTLY AND CRITICALLY?

Do not listen to Sarkozy's blah blah talk--Euro has long way to go before it can replace USD. France has been a loser ever since it totally gave up the resourceful North American continent. To pick a loser as partner is definitely not a good formula for future success.

• China is not a leader yet