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The World’s Worst Bet: How the Globalization Gamble Went Wrong (and What Would Make It Right)

Foreign Affairs | 2026-02-17 | economy

Topics: China, Trade, United States

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English Summary

The article argues that the foundational premises of modern economic globalization—namely, that open markets benefit all and that integrating China guarantees political liberalization—have failed. Key evidence includes the 'China shock,' which deindustrialized large parts of the American heartland, and the fact that Chinese leadership successfully resisted political liberalization despite global economic pressures. For policymakers, the implication is that understanding these systemic failures is a necessary prerequisite for any future strategy aimed at reforming or saving the global economic system.

中文摘要

本文論點指出,現代經濟全球化的根本前提——即開放市場對所有人有利,以及納入中國將必然帶來政治自由化——已經證明是錯誤的。關鍵證據包括「中國衝擊」(China shock),它導致美國腹地的大片地區去工業化,以及中國領導層在面臨全球經濟壓力時,仍成功抵抗了政治自由化的事實。對於政策制定者而言,其意涵是,理解這些體系性失敗,是制定任何旨在改革或挽救全球經濟體系的未來策略的必要前提。

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