I would say that the anecdote about the three rulers lends the reader to believe that Xi and the party will use all three, which has been in keeping with state policy. More measurement and detailed accounting of state expenditure, attempts at good governance, and finally Xi's anti-corruption crackdown and modus operandi for his tenure as President and Paramount leader.
I knew about the book and wondered about the content. Now I know! Thanks for this great review. It led me to recall the four principles of good leadership espoused by Lee Kuan Yew (meritocracy, incorruptibility, rewarding the talented and rule of law).
“What do I do with my leisure time? Of course, most of my time is spent working. The only hobby that I have retained [from my youth] is reading; it has become my way of life. It strengthens my spirits, gives me inspiration, reinforces my morality.”
and
'The only exception to this is where Xi discusses soccer of which he is genuinely fond, and where his opinions are interesting.'
Those two excerpts indicates that he, in fact, retained two hobbies from his youth. Apparently, only one is deemed worthy of being the 'official' hobby of a national leader.
Never in history has a system that disregards the process to elect the leader managed to produce a consistent series of honest and capable ones. On the contrary.
Hystorically, only systems that put the emphasis on the process, and where that process provides a mechanism to fairly and freely appoint and depose leaders in a non- violent fashion, have managed to produce more than a handful of reasonably competent heads of State. And not for very long, often until some great crusader who believes or sells himself as virtuous wreaks the process for good.
So, one would think Xi's philosophy of power is, at best, naive, don't you think?
The problem remains how can a leader who kills to maintain power instead of negotiates ever asses his own morality. The morality of any leader of a animal herd who sends leader challenge
get limping away till next time. Nuclear war any one. Is that moral code material? Last unburnt to the ground nation gets cheats from a happy population of survivors?
Thanks for a very interesting review of something I would never think to read. It appears then that Xi subscribes to the Platonic ideal of philosopher-kings.
I would say that the anecdote about the three rulers lends the reader to believe that Xi and the party will use all three, which has been in keeping with state policy. More measurement and detailed accounting of state expenditure, attempts at good governance, and finally Xi's anti-corruption crackdown and modus operandi for his tenure as President and Paramount leader.
I knew about the book and wondered about the content. Now I know! Thanks for this great review. It led me to recall the four principles of good leadership espoused by Lee Kuan Yew (meritocracy, incorruptibility, rewarding the talented and rule of law).
“What do I do with my leisure time? Of course, most of my time is spent working. The only hobby that I have retained [from my youth] is reading; it has become my way of life. It strengthens my spirits, gives me inspiration, reinforces my morality.”
and
'The only exception to this is where Xi discusses soccer of which he is genuinely fond, and where his opinions are interesting.'
Those two excerpts indicates that he, in fact, retained two hobbies from his youth. Apparently, only one is deemed worthy of being the 'official' hobby of a national leader.
Thanks Branko.
It all seems rather a-historical, which seems odd for someone with even the toes of one foot resting in the Marxist tradition.
But is that posture realistic?
Never in history has a system that disregards the process to elect the leader managed to produce a consistent series of honest and capable ones. On the contrary.
Hystorically, only systems that put the emphasis on the process, and where that process provides a mechanism to fairly and freely appoint and depose leaders in a non- violent fashion, have managed to produce more than a handful of reasonably competent heads of State. And not for very long, often until some great crusader who believes or sells himself as virtuous wreaks the process for good.
So, one would think Xi's philosophy of power is, at best, naive, don't you think?
Great review!
Great job. Thankyou for writing this.
The problem remains how can a leader who kills to maintain power instead of negotiates ever asses his own morality. The morality of any leader of a animal herd who sends leader challenge
get limping away till next time. Nuclear war any one. Is that moral code material? Last unburnt to the ground nation gets cheats from a happy population of survivors?
Thanks for a very interesting review of something I would never think to read. It appears then that Xi subscribes to the Platonic ideal of philosopher-kings.