What's up with Jeffrey Sachs?
What's up with Jeffrey Sachs?
He used to be a super villain, and now every time I see his name it's related to something unambiguously anti-imperialist he's said. When did this happen? Am I just completely wrong on something? Either his recent statements or on his past.
I don't want to call the man who orchestrated the capitalist shock therapy in the post Soviet states a saint because of some lukewarm based takes, but he is a bit more positive right now.
I asked the same question a few months ago! Since the beginning of this year, he has received more and more coverage in the Chinese media, China Daily, CGTN, CCTV. Many people in the comments section warned "he's the father of shock therapy , do not believe him", but judging by his behavior, it doesn't look like he's being funny...
He's probably got a similar perspective to Mearschiemer, the empire has lost touch with reality and is now destroying itself with poor governance. These technocrats like to think of themselves as the smartest people in the room and minmaxers of "democratic" institutions who mald when their guidance is ignored.
I mean he’s an asshole but not a dumb asshole. He knew his Shock Therapy would bring capitalism and it worked. He understands that US policy today is not effective because Biden riles up China and Russia when the US is obviously not that guy anymore, US hegemonic unipolarity is dropping off and he recognizes that.
My thesis is that he understands that his policies have caused immense suffering and now, reaching the end of his life, he simply doesn't care anymore and isn't afraid to tell the truth. I mean, the guy probably has seen too much shit and now he's tired of bullshit
Seems like a ghoul who sees the writing on the wall
"The devil believes and trembles," as certain theologians say
Best case he just realised that the negative impacts of constant rabid american aggression are going to be world ending. If someone were to figure out the real reasons behind his transformation and his true intentions they would have to look into his whole career. I don't have the resources and time for it so I just take it as it comes.
Sometimes even members of a death cult realize what's happening and want out. Whether he's turned a new leaf, or he's fleeing a sinking ship like a rat... Who knows?
I'm not sure.
His comments about westerners not understanding that different cultures/conditions create different looking democracies makes me think he is genuine. It's hard to see someone with that sort of take on what qualifies as democracy looking at how successful China has been and not at least thinking "hey, maybe theres at least something to this marxism stuff", if not just outright accepting that it's created more economic growth and human wellbeing on less suffering than the US ever did.
I really want to believe he's genuine because he's more or less the only person being featured on US mainstream media saying this stuff.
I think it could also be an interesting look into the minds of the people who really direct US foreign policy. I think many in that circle are probably somewhat cognizant of what they are actually doing (destroying lives), because you have to have some objective form of measurement to achieve your goals. That is to say you can't be a total idiot to do these things (interference, war, propaganda) effectively. And after that it's just a matter of justifying what they think is a means to a greater good, or accepting that they're in it for themselves. I think sachs somewhat touched upon that himself when he talked about a belief in American hegemony, but I don't remember specifically the video.
People can turn a new leaf. Is this the case with Sachs? Who knows. But it has happened before. Former enemies to socialism and anti-imperialism can and have become class traitors.