🌏 Why does China's political system keep delivering results? Irish economist David McWilliams dropped some serious historical knowledge in his recent podcast analysis that's got global policy wonks talking. Let's break it down TikTok-style!
The 2,000-Year Playbook
McWilliams traces China's success to ancient strategies: 'Imagine if your government had been perfecting its group project skills since the Han Dynasty! China's focus has always been homebase stability first – no imperialist side quests.'
Standardization Nation
📜 Unified writing systems + merit-based exams = ancient China's version of digital transformation. This cultural 'operating system' helped manage diversity while keeping the civilization RPG game strong.
2025 Growth Numbers Don't Lie
Fresh stats show China's GDP hit ¥140.19 trillion ($20.12T) in 2025 – crossing the 140T mark for the first time with 5% growth. McWilliams says this isn't luck: 'It's Mario Kart-level long-term planning meets institutional muscle memory.'
West vs Rest Perspective
While Europe was colonizing, China was perfecting domestic infrastructure. 'They're playing Civilization IRL,' McWilliams quips, noting this explains today's Belt & Road deals focused on mutual benefit over expansion.
