Captain Planet and the Planeteers: What could Xi Jinping do to avoid climate change?

Abstract

Pax Americana created after WWII abundance for much of the Western world, but at the expense of the developing world and the environment. Pax Sinica is set to develop abundance for the sinocentric world at the expense of the Western world and the environment, but at a much larger and thus threatening scale considering the increase in consumption per capita and roughly one billion more human beings being added to this planet each decade, in particular in Asia and Africa, China’s second continent.

Full text

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
!
!
Thanks'to'a'post'in'our'Green%Initiatives!wechat'group'earlier'this'month'my'attention'was'
drawn&-!in#a#search#for#a"positive(narrative(for(humanity’s(future(-!to#Captain'Planet,"a"US#
!"#$!%#&"'()*#)(+','-#-".%'even$know$it$existed.$Since$our$daughter$is$recently$into$drawing$
comics&I&looked&it&up&and&want&to&share&here"some"thoughts'on'globalism'and'nationalism)
in#an#era#when#our#post#WWII#world#order#is#clearly#dissolving#and#a#new#one#seem#to#be#
emerging.(I(will(elaborate(further(down(on(the(recent(decisions(of(the(US(administration(to(
pull$out$of$several$international$organizations,$most$importantly$UNESCO,(and(the(
significance)of)the)upcoming)19th!Chinese'Party'Congress;'and'I'will'analyze'if'Xi'Jinping'
will$be$our$21st!century(super(hero.!
!
Captain'Planet'and'the'Planeteers'was$aired$1990-96#and#is#the#brain#child#of#media#mogul#
Ted$Turner!and$screenwriter&Nicholas)Boxer!who$is$credited$for$103$of$113$episodes."Apart"
from%having%a%really%cosmopolitan%and%global%mindset%its%a%great%way%to%create%
environmental+awareness+and+a+collaborative+mindset+amongst+6-12#year#olds.!The$
narrative(is(somewhat(in(line(with(what(we(all"know"from"Lord"of"the"Rings"or"Harry"
Potter:'a'crew'of'heroes'fighting'a'crew'of'villains.'!
!
The$producers$drew$a$clear$line$between$good$and$evil$as$in$most$Western$narratives.$
Lewis&Chriswell&explains&this&fundamental&difference&between&Asian,&in&particular'Japanese,'
and$modern$Western$story$telling$brilliantly$in$his$video&analysis&of&Hayao&Miyazaki."He"
points'out'that'Miyazaki’s'characters'are'more'complex'than'their'Western!!"#$%&'()'%*+,
never%only%portraying%the%good%or%the%evil.%They%are%more%like%we%all%are%in%reality:%in%a%
constant'float'between'the'best'and'the'worst'of'our'potential'self.'I!have%to%concede%
though&that&the&clear&juxtaposition&of&good&and&evil&makes&perfectly&sense,&when&we&try&to&

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
create&understanding&of&the&world&as&a&complex&ecosystem,&which%requires%our%aligned%
action.!Screenwriter(Nicolas(Boxer(deserves(serious(credit(for(daring(in(a(world(of(
postmodern*pluralism*to*give%out%a%singular%message:%protect"our"home,"planet"Earth,"by"all"
means.'!
The$plot$is$straight$forward.#Gaia,%the%spirit%of%the%planet,%is%awakened%from%a%long%sleep%by%
Hoggish'Greedly,'who'happens'to'be'drilling'for$crude$oil$above&her&resting&chamber.&
Realizing)that)the)damage)is)extensive,)Gaia)sends)five)magic)rings,)four)with)the)power)to)
control'an'element'of'nature'and'one'controlling'the'element'of'Heart,'to'five'chosen'
youths'across'the'globe:'Kwame'from'Africa,'Wheeler!from%North%America,%Linka%from%the%
!"#$%&'()$")'*+,-).%/'&"'0-1&%2)'032"4%'-5&%2'&,%'!"#$%&'()$")61'/$11"73&$")89':$'52";'<1$-9'
and$Ma-Ti#from#South#America.!
In#Greek#mythology,#Gaia!is#the#personification*of*the*Earth!and$one$of$the$Greek$primordial$
deities.'Gaia'is'the'ancestral'mother'of'all'life:'the'primal'Mother'Earth'goddess.'She'is'the'
immediate'parent'of'Uranus,"the"sky,"from"whose"sexual"union"she"bore"the"Titans,"
themselves(parents(of(many(of(the(Olympian)gods,"and"the"Giants,"and"of"Pontus,"the"sea,"
from%whose%union%she$bore$the$primordial)sea)gods."Her"equivalent"in"the"Roman"pantheon"
was$Terra.!
Our$five$protagonists$are$dubbed$the$Planeteers!and$are$tasked$with$helping$defend$the$
planet!from%environmental%disasters%and%making%efforts%to%educate%humankind%to%keep%
others'from'happening.'In'the'beginning'of'the'episodes,'Gaia'uses'her'"Planet'Vision"'in'
the$Crystal$Chamber$to$discover$where$the$most$devastating$destruction$is$occurring$and$
sends%the%Planeteers%to%help%solve%the%problem.%The!Planeteers)use)transportation,)usually&
a"flying#machine#called#a#Geo-Cruiser,!based&on&solar&power&to&avoid&causing&pollution&
themselves.!
In#situations#that#the#Planeteers#cannot#resolve#alone,#they#can#combine'their'powers'to'
summon&Captain&Planet,&a&super&hero,&who&possesses&all&of&their&powers&magnified,&
symbolizing+the+premise+that+the+combined+efforts+of+a+team+are+stronger+than+its+
individual(parts.(Captain(Planet's(outfit(represents(the(embodiment(of"environmental#
beauty'and'health:!a"grass-green%McGyver(mullet,'crystal'blue'skin,'earthy'brown'eyes,'a'
fire-red$chest,$gloves,$trunks,$and$boots,$and$a$sun-yellow&globe&insignia.&!
Besides&having&classical&superhero&powers&such&as&flight,&super-strength,)and$
invulnerability,-he-is-able-to-rearrange-his-molecular-structure-to-transform-himself-into-the-
various(powers(and(elements(of(nature.(He(is(though&very%sensitive%to%pollutants,%which%can%
weaken&him&considerably.&The&Planeteers!cannot&use&their&rings&while&Captain&Planet&has&
been$summoned.!

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
Once%his%work%is%done,%Captain%Planet%restores&the&Planeteers'&powers&and&reminds(viewers(
of#the#message#of#the#series#with#his#catchphrase,#"The#power#is#yours!",#which#is#said#to#
mean%that%all"have"the"power"to"end"the"destruction"of"the"planet"if"we"work"together"as"
one$world$rather$than$fighting$each$other$as$separate$nations.$Every$episode$is$followed$up$
with%at%least%one%"Planeteer%Alert",%often%connected%to%the%plot,%where%environmental-
political(and(other(social-political(issues(are(discussed(and(how(the(viewer(can(contribute(
and$be$part$of$"the$solution"$rather$than$"the$pollution".!
For$those$amongst$us$who$didn't&know&captain&planet&I!post%here%the%23'%intro&animation!
which%explains%the%characters%and%plot;%and%a%2'%trailer%on%the%captain'planet'foundation!
which%seems%to%have%gone%very$much$into$natural$science$education$of$youth$and$might$
lack%the%consumption%awareness%element%which%is%recently%discussed%a%lot%as%we%come%to%
realize'that'the'industrial'growth'model'drives'us'into'a'dead'end.!
The$Dissolution$of$the$Current$World$Order!!
Captain'Planet'producer!and$owner$of$CCN$and$Cartoon$Network!Ted$Turner!is#probably#
also%known%as%an%important%American%philanthropist.%He%donated%in#1998#USD$$1#billion#to#
support'the'United'Nations,'which'created'the'United'Nations'Foundation,"a"public"charity,"
which%original%purpose%was%to%build%domestic%support%for%United%Nations%causes%and$to$
make%sure%that%the%United%States%honors%its%commitments%to%the%United%Nations.%Turner&
serves%as%Chairman!of#the#United#Nations#Foundation#board#of#directors."!
Considering'that'the'Trump&administration&has&just&declared&that&the&US#will#pull#out#of#
UNESCO,"that$it$did$pull$out$of$the$UN#Paris#Agreement#on#Climate#Change,"and$that$a$new$
congressional+bill+seeks+to+leave%the%UN%entirely,"one"might"argue"that"the"United"Nations"
Foundation)has)failed)in)its)mission.)One$definitely(has(to(agree(with(USA$Today’s!headline:)
For$70$years$America$has$led$Europe$and$the$free$world.$Not$anymore.!
The$United'Nations!were$established$after$WWII,$but$it$is$not$a$secret$that$they$have$always$
been$a$vehicle$for$the$US$to$maintain$the$status$quo,$i.e.$what$is$called$amongst$
international)relations)buffs)Pax$Americana,"a"peace"which"serves"the"interests"of"the"
American)economy&and&thus&those&who&are&on!its$top.$The$UN’s$main$objective$of$global$
peacekeeping)and)security)reveals)that)despite)other)secondary)goals,)it#introduces#law#and#
order%which%keeps%corporate%America&and&its&allies&in&power.&!
!!
Thinks&of&WTO!(World'Trade'Organization)'for$a$second,"the"organization"which"blazes"the"
trail&for&large&industrial&conglomerates&like!–!in#order#of#global#revenue#volume#-!Nestle,"
Pfizer,"Mars,"GlaxoSmithKline,"Kraftfoods,!Monsanto,"etc."to"establish"level"playfields"on"a"
global&market!and$thus$create$a$competitive$advantage$over$local$small$scale$businesses;!or#

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
WIPO!(World'Intellectual'Property'Organization),"the"organization"which"helps&the&same&
large&corporations(to(protect(their(intellectual(property(at(the(expense(of(social(progress.(If(
one$understands$the$informal$missions$of$WTO$and$WIPO,$one$easily"understands!that$the$
UN#in#its#general#setup#only#serves#as#an#extension#of#the#(American)&upper&ten&thousand&
under&the!good$guy$umbrella!of#the#United#Nations."!
!
!
!
UNESCO!though,&is&of&a&different&caliber&and&has&always&been&-!at#least"in"my"marginal"
perception)next)to)UNICEF!–!the$best%part%of%all%UN%activities.!It#shone#as#the#light#at#the#end#
of#a#tunnel#of#international#lobbying,#which$absorbed$the$UN$in$the$interests$of$war$faring$
nations'and'profit'greedy'corporations.'Its#declared#purpose#is#to#contribute#to#peace#and#
security)by)promoting)international)collaboration)through)educational,)scientific,)and)
cultural'reforms.""UNESCO"is"–!mostly'unknown'to'the'general'public'–!the!successor'
organization)of)the!League&of&Nations’!International*Committee#on#Intellectual#Cooperation,"
and$as#such#the#continuation#of#the#world’s(first&international&organization,&which&had&the&
maintenance(of(global(peace(as(its(mission.(!
!
The$International*Committee*on*Intellectual*Cooperation!was$an$advisory$organization$for$
the$League&of&Nations!which%aimed%to%promote%international%exchange%between%scientists,%
researchers,(teachers,(artists(and(intellectuals.(It(was(established(in(1922!as#a#reaction$to$
the$atrocities$of$WWI,"included"12"individuals,"and"counted'such'distinguished'figures'as'
Henri&Bergson,"Albert'Einstein,"Marie&Curie!and$Robert'A.'Millikan!among&its&members."We"
shall%therefore%understand%that$UNESCO$has$exactly$the$same$function$within$the$UN:$it$is$
an#interdisciplinary#advisory#board#which#supports#the#UN#in#defining#its#activities,#and#it"is#
probably(the(single(most(important(entity(within(the(UN.(!
!
The$US$confirms$its$disrespect$for$the$idea$of$the$United$Nations$by$pulling$out$of$UNESCO$
because'of'animosities'over'the$Palestine)Authority)being&granted(full(membership(in(2011."
It#has#repeatedly#–!2013,"2017!-!claimed(that(UNESCO#management'maintains'an'anti-
Israel!attitude,(but(reflects(hereby(its(own(anti-Palestine)perspective.)The)idea)of)the)UN,)
and$UNESCO$in$particular,$is$to$get$leaders$of$all$nations$to$sit$at$one$table$to$discuss$how$
conflicts)can)be)prevented)or)resolved.#By#blackmailing#the#UNESCO#management#to#

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
withdraw(22%(of(its(annual(budget,(i.e.(the(US(contribution(of(roughly(USD(80(million!p.a.$
amounting)to)more)than)USD)600)million)arrears)since)2011,"both"the"Obama"and"the"
Trump&administrations&showed"that"they"are$in$the$grip$of$decision(makers(who(hide(in(
second'line'and'who'put'their'own'commercial'and'political'interests'over"the"mission"and"
purpose'of'international)organizations.))!!!!
!
The$Washington*Post!writes'that$despite&all&the&U.S.-UNESCO'history,'Trump’s'decision'to'
withdraw(U.S.(membership(is(more(drastic(than(the(2011(decision(to"withdraw"U.S."funds."The"
UNESCO'withdrawal'stands'out'because'it'fits'Trump’s'pattern'of'leaving'international'
institutions.([…]$But$other$countries$also$appear$to$be$exiting$from$international$
organizations.+In+September,+for+example,+Nigeria+announced+it+was+pulling'out'of'90'
international)organizations."The"U.S."withdrawal"from"UNESCO"is"unlikely"to"start!a"domino"
effect,&but&the&culmination&of&multiple&withdrawals&may&help&create&a&tipping&point&for&more&
retrenchment(from(the(global(order.!
!
In#short,#what#we#witness#is#the#dissolution#of#the#post#WWII#global#order.!Henry&Kissinger&
saw$the$threat$of$such$a$development$already$back$in$2014$when$he$wrote$his$magisterial$
international)relations)oeuvre)World&Order!and$said$that$Westphalian+principles+are+being+
challenged)on)all)sides,)sometimes)in)the)name)of)world)order)itself.)He#defined#three#major#
threats'to'the'existing'world'order:!
!
• Islam:'Proliferation'of'a'new'religious)world)order)and)disintegration)of)the)nation)state)
through'radical'Islam.!
• Supranational+Organizations:+Disintegration+of+the+nation+state+through+pooled+
sovereignty+of+international+entities+like+the+EU+or+probably+at+a+later+stage+ASEAN.!
• China:'Proliferation+of+a+new+cultural+world+order+and+corrosion+of+the+existing+
international)world)order)through)a)shift)in)power)and)the)subversion)of)international)
mechanisms)and)institutions)through)setting)up)a)similarly!designed'shadow'system.!!
!
Within&only"three"years"after"the"publication"of"Kissinger’s"masterly"analysis,"I"see"my"then"
assumption*being*confirmed:*Only*China*will*emerge*as*a*force*to*set*up*a*new*world*
order.&Kissinger’s&focus&on&radical&Islam&and&supranational&organization&was&merely&
academic.&We#shall#though#not#forget#that#the#systemic#disintegration#in#international#and#
supranational+organizations+helps+China+tremendously+in+its+push+for+global+hegemony.+
Corruption)affairs)in)the)UN,)in)particular)UNESCO,)wide)spread)frustration)over)EU!
institutions,(and(the(general(fact,(that(all(the(established(international(organizations'serve'
rather&as&employer!for$a$new$global$aristocratic$bureaucracy,$than$their$defined$purpose$of$
transforming+the+world+into+a+better+place,+have+certainly+contributed#to#their#beginning#
dissolution.*Meanwhile*the*EU*is*weakened*considerably*by*Brexit,*and*more*than*before*

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
focused(on(itself(instead(of(how(it(could(shape(the(world,(or(at(least(its(region(of(intimate(
impact.!!
!
A"New"Emerging"World"Order!
!
China&has&built!over%the%last%two%decades%a%shadow%system%of%international%institutions%
which%navigates%in%the%caveats%of%the%existing%US%backed%system.%It%engages%with%neglected%
African(nations(in(the(Shanghai&Cooperation&Organization,"which"will"most"likely"at"some"
point&substitute&the&New&York&based&United&Nations.&It&provides&loans&and&investment&
through'the'Beijing'headquartered'Asian&Infrastructure&Investment&Bank!already'in'a'
larger&volume&than&its&US&backed&counterpart,&the&Asian&Development*Bank,"and"might"take"
over%the%functions%of%an%ailing%Washington%D.C.%headquartered%World&Bank."!
!
Considering*that*the*United*Nations*and*all*its*associated*organizations*have*grown&into%a!
complex(bureaucratic(swamp,!which%costs%roughly(USD(6(billion,(but$has$little$impact,$
which%preaches%in%the%17#United#Nations#Sustainability!Goals!the$reduction$of$poverty%and%
wealth'redistribution,'but'provides'its'own'employees'the'world’s'best'and'most'secure'
working(conditions,(one(wishes(actually(for(a(clean(slate(and(the(transition(to(a(new(and(
better%system%of%international%governance.%But$can$China$provide$that?!!!!
!
!
!

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
Globalism)vs.)Nationalism!
!!
The$68th!Chinese'National'Holiday'has'just'passed'and'the'19th!Party&Congress&is&coming&up&
this!week.%This%seems%to%be%a%good%timing%to%think%about%the%meaning%of%nationalism%and%
globalism)in)the)21st!century(as(humanity(marches(straight(into(the(6th!mass$extinction$
event!by#being#unable#to#transform#itself#into#one#crew#operating#one#Spaceship#Earth.#TED!
chief&curator&Chris&Anderson&and&historian&Yuval&Harari!discussed'in'February'2017'why'a'
national'organization'structure'cannot'deal'with'problems'of'global'dimension,'in'
particular)environmental)pollution,)degradation)of!natural'resources'and'the'increasing'
automation(of(labor(markets!and$therefore$growing$income$disparities.$We$might$ad$this$
point&to&Kissinger’s&list&of&threats&to&the&existing&world&order,"indeed"the"world"itself:"a"
system&based&on&national&interests&is&not$capable$to$deal$with$global$challenges$which$put$
our$survival$as$species$at$risk.!!
!
!
!
While&the&Republican&Hertiage&Foundation&has&recently&released&its&annual&report&on&US#
Military(Strength!pushing(the(resources(of(an(ailing"global"power"to"its"limits"by!demanding(
more%investment%in%national%defense,!while&the&homeland&security&department&is&flooded&
with%money%since%9/11%in%a%fake%propaganda%against%Islamist%fundamentalism,%which%only%
fuels&false&fear&and&the&American&manufacturing&and&oil&industry,&China,"too,!continues)to)
increase(its(military(and(domestic(security(spending(according(to(economists(Damien(Ma(
and$William$Adams:$!
!
In#2011,#China#allocated#624#billion#yuan#($100#billion)#for#domestic'public'security,'a'14%'
increase(from(the(previous(year(and(over(6%(of(total(public(spending,(higher(than(healthcare(
spending.)By)contrast,)China’s)reported)defense)budget)in)the)same)year)was)601)billion)yuan%
(less%than%$100%billion).%Of#the#$100#bi!!"#$%&'(!")%*+)',"-.%('/0+-1%2(#'-%345%6+$-%-#%
!"#$%&'()*"+'($),-!)&.$)*,/,#'+'&,/0)1"/($2)&.$)3$"*+$4%)5/#$!)3"+'($)635372)8.'+$)&.$)("9/&%)

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
and$judicial$functions$received$a$much$smaller$fraction.$On$matters$of$law$and$order,$there$
isn’t&much&competition—order%wins%by%a%wide%margin,%at%least%in%terms%of%resource%allocation.!
!
In#short!and$without$having$the$time$to$research$the$numbers$in$detail,"both"behemoths,"
which%account%by%far%for%the%world’s%largest%economies,%world’s%largest%tax%revenues,%
world’s(largest'public'expenditures,'world’s(largest(national(defense(and(domestic(security(
budgets,)allot)more)than)10%)of)their)annual)budgets)on)war)and)citizen)oppression,)when)
they%should%actually%and%most%urgently%allot%their%resources%on%mitigating%climate%change&
by#investing#in#education#and#research#&#development#of#science#and#technology#that#
makes&a&turn&around&possible.&Infamous)blogger)Tim)Urban)would)say,)wait,)but)why?!
!
!
!
Collective)Unconscious)and)Elitarianism!
!
The$CCP’s$value$propaganda$has$lately$been$a$lot$on$my$mind,$because$related$billboards$
decorate(Shanghai’s(streets,(walls,(public(school(grounds(and(even(construction(sites.(They(
cause&quite&ambivalent&feelings,&because&for&one&I&admire&the&Xi&administration$for$putting$
common%values%again%at%the%center%of%politics;%something%blatantly%missing%in%pluralistic%
and$postmodern$Western$democracies,$which$could$learn$an$important$lesson$in$these$
transformational+times+from+Chinese+governance.+But+on+the+other+hand#I#am#worried#
about&its&nationalistic&and&exclusive&undertone&when&we&have&to&deal&with&challenges&of&
global&dimension.&Will$there$be$any$change$in$how$we$run$this$planet$under$a$Pax$Sinica,"or"
will"we"just"swap"the"color"code"from"Yankee"blue"to"Maoist"red?!!
!
The$Chinese'National'Day!is#observed#annually#on#October#1st!to#commemorate#the#
foundation)of)the!People’s(Republic(of(China(in(1949.(On(the(contrary(to(other(National(
Days%that%I%know%of,%e.g.%Germany’s%October%3rd!or#the#United#States’#July#4th!the$Chinese$
government)allots)a)full)vacation)week,)the)so)called!Golden'Week,'to'its'citizens.'It'is'a!
good#indicator#for#the#importance#of#the#Chinese#National#Day#in#the#rhythm#of#a#calendar#
year%considering%that%the%most%important%traditional%holiday,%the%Chinese%Spring%Festival,%
which%is%usually%celebrated%in%observance%of%the%lunar%calendar%between%late%January'and'
late%February,%being!in#significance#comparable#to#Western#Christmas#and#New#Year#
combined,*deserves*the*same*number*of*days*off.*!
!

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
Governance)is)essentially)about)the)management)of)people;)and)it)seems)as)if)only)the)
Chinese'have'read'and'understood&what&management&guru&Peter&F.&Drucker&said:&To#be#
sure,&the&fundamental&task&of&management&remains&the&same:&to&make&people&capable&of&joint&
performance*through*common*goals,*common*values,*the*right*structures,*and*the*training*
and$development$they!need$to$perform$and$to$respond$to$change.$What%Drucker%wrote%about%
business'management'is'equally'if'not'more'true'of'society'management.'!
!
Ian$Johnson$did$in$The$Souls$of$China!a"brilliant"job"describing"how"Xi"Jinping"changed"
domestic)policies)since)2013)from)a)focus)on)economic)progress)only)to)a)definition)of)
common%national%values%beyond%capitalism,%how%he%managed%to%revive%Chinese%tradition,%
culture'and'religion(in(search(of(means(to(fend(off(the(forces(of(individualism(and(
materialism;*forces*which*have*been*unleashed*onto!the$global$marketplace,)but)in)the)
West!-!rampantly)destroying)societies)–!still%wait!for$containment.$One$can$only$pay$kudos$
to#such#an#ingenious#and#timely#political#strategy#and#its#execution,#even#though#we#have#to#
acknowledge+that+China’s+past+helps+a+lot+to+shape+its+future+as+Howard+French+explained+in+
Everything+Under+the+Heavens.!!Xi#Jingping#has#put#China&on&a&solid&track&to&make&its&
people%capable%of%joint%performance%through%common%goals%and%common%values%by"
developing*the*China&Dream&|&中国梦!narrative(which(is(tied(into(the(mythological(
foundations*of*the*civilization-state.&&!
!
Johnson&explains&that&the&traditional&combination&of&religious&and&political&power&in&
Chinese'society'helps'Xi'Jinping'to'regain'control'of'a'society'which%undergoes%the%same%
transformation*which*has*unraveled*Western*economies*in*the*process*of*the*industrial*
revolution.+A"local"temple"could"be"like"the"cathedral"and"city"hall"of"a"medieval"European"
town%rolled%in%one.%In%the%words%of%the%historian%Prasenjit'Duara,'religion'was'society’s'“nexus'
of#power.”#But#religion#was#more#than#a#method#for#running#China;#it#was#the#political#
system’s'lifeblood.'The'emperor'was'the'“Son'of'Heaven,”'who'presided'over'elaborate'rituals'
that$underscored$his$semi-divine!nature.(Officials(duplicated(many(of(his(rites(at(the(local(
level,%especially%by%praying%at%temples%to%the%local%City%God.%From%the%fourteenth%century%
onward,(the(government(mandated(that(every(district(of(the(empire#have#its#own#City#God#
temple![effectively$a$town$hall$to$venerate$the$emperor].!
!
Xi#Jinping#has#reestablished#this#traditional#governance#system#in#only#five#years’!time%and%
thus%managed%to%do%the%impossible:%turn%a%country%which%is%officially%atheist,%into%a%non-
secular(theocracy(with(himself!as#Son$of$Heaven.!Again,'Johnson,'who'described'the'18th!
party&congress&in&such&a&manner:&The#party#launches#its#most#important#public#display#of#
power:'a'ten-day$ritual$called$the$Two$Meetings.$One$of$them$is$a$session$of$a$consultative$
conference'where'Communist)Party)leaders)confer)with)entrepreneurs,)movie)stars,)religious)
figures,)and)academics.)It)is)meant)to)show)that)people)“from)all)walks)of)life”)are)part)of)the)
sacred'mission'of'ruling'China.'The'other'gathering'is'the'annual'session'of'the'National%

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
People’s(Congress,(a(ritualized(version(of(a(parliament.(The(congress(has(deputies,(but(they(
are$unelected.$It$passes$bills,$but$the$decisions$are$drafted$elsewhere.$It$promulgates$laws,$but$
their&enforcement&is&arbitrary.&Like&the&bright&halls&or&bronze$vessels$of$ancient$times,$it$is$a$
statement'of'intent—of#plans#that#will#only#slowly#become#clear.!!
!
The$weakness$of$Xi’s$value$propaganda$and$its$imminent$threat$is$equally$evident$as$its$
strength(and(its(opportunities.(The(top-down%organization%of%Confucian'societies'allows'the'
government)to)launch)policies)and)change)both)mindset)and)behavior,)thought)and)action)
in#almost#all#layers#of#society#at#a#pace#Western#style#bottom-up#organized#democracies#can#
only%dream%of.%In%as%such%China%has%already%taken"over"command"of"spaceship"Earth."Those"
who$think$differently,$like#the#The#Heritage#Foundation#and#its#Republican#supporters,!
have%lost%touch%with%reality.%!
!
So,$where$is$Xi’s$weakness?!Capable'and'strong'leadership'requires'system'awareness'or'as'
psychologist&Daniel'Goleman!writes:(For$leaders$to$get$results$they$need$all$three$kinds$of$
focus.'Inner!focus&attunes&us&to&our&intuitions,&guiding&values,(and(better(decisions.(Outer!focus&
smooths&our&connections&to&the&people&in&our&lives.&And&other!focus&lets&us&navigate&in&the&
larger&world.&A&leader&tuned&out&of&his&internal&world&will&be&rudderless;&one&blind&to&the&
world&of&others&will&be&clueless;&those&indifferent&to&the&larger&systems"within"which"they"
operate'will'be'blindsided.'Your'focus'is'your'reality.!
!
!
!
It#has#been#widely#discussed#and#I#confirm#here#that#Donald#Trump#is#only#equipped#with#a#
sharp&inner&focus,&which&helped&him&to&amass&a&fortune.&He&knows&what&he&wants,&but&he#
does%not%care%about%the%world%of%others%and%is%completely%indifferent%to%larger%systems!
which%go%beyond%America%and%his%own%business%interests."Infants"and"toddlers"naturally"
have%a%sharp%inner%focus,%but%if%an%adult%has%not%acquired%outer%and%other%focus,$we$must$
diagnose)him)a)psychological)retard)who)must)be)cured)from)his)regressive)state)of)mind.)
Such%a%leader%is%not%apt%to%guide%the%world%in%such%a%critical%period%of%transition.%!
!

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
Xi#Jinping#is#a#different#caliber.#Any#political#leader#navigating#Chinese&society&and&in&
particular)the)one)Party$system$must$have$sharp$outer#focus.#Contrary#to#Western#
politicians*it*is*for*a*Chinese*not*enough*to*manipulate*ignorant*and$often$desperate$
proletariat)to)be)elected)into)top)government)positions;)Xi)Jinping!had$to$deal$in$the$very$
first&place&with&the&smartest&and&shrewdest&power-driven'minds&of#a#1.3#billion#population,#
which!sit$at$the$top$of$the$70#million#members#communist)party)institutions.(While(it(was(
enough'for'Trump'to'run'a'campaign'-!in#classic#Roman%panem&et&circenses!style&-!that$
convinced(mostly(so(called(white(trash(–!the$left$behind$class$of$a$globalized$and$tech$savvy$
labor&market&-!to#vote#for#him,#while#he#was#ousted#by#his#own#Republican#party#fellows,#Xi#
had$to$obtain$endorsement$from$a$decisive'part'of'China’s'most'powerful'politicians'and'
business'leaders.'!
!
Xi#is#without#question#a#much#more#formidable#national#leader,#and#one#could#now#start#to#
discuss,'if'such'an'analysis'induces'that'China'as'a'nation'and'economy'is'stronger'than'the"
US,$and$if$the$one$party$system$is$the$better$form$of$governance.$But$I$am$not$going$down$
this%track.%I%want%to%draw%your%attention%to%the%third%focus%which%is%required%by%21st!century(
leaders:(the(other(focus,(which(lets(us(navigate(the(larger(world.!!Ian$Johnson$writes$in$The$
Souls&of&China&that&China’s(official(identity(is(a(multiethnic(state(where(all(peoples,(beliefs,(
and$traditions$are$equally$respected.$The$problem$with$this$story$is$that$Han$Chinese$run$the$
country(and(it(is(their(values,(their(dreams,'and'their'traditions'that'define'the'national'
vision—not$China’s$fifty-five%other%ethnic%groups.!Now,%the%same%is%true%for%a%nation%which%
has$forged$a$dream$for$itself$but$ignores$the$rest$of$the$world.!!!
!
!
Above&picture(floated(into(our(living(room"as"unrequested"screensaver"on"our"Xiaomi"telly"during"this"year’s"Chinese"National"Holiday.!

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
!
Winston'Churchill'once'said'that'the$further$we$look$into$the$past$the$better$we$can$
understand)the)future.!The$Chinese$past$defines$everybody$who$is$not$part$of!the$cultural$
hemisphere(of(the$Middle$Kingdom$as$barbarian."The$barbarians$were$seen$as$the$far$
extreme&opposite&of&the&emperor&or&Son$of$Heaven$|$天子,"who$was$divinely$appointed$and$
emanated'universal*and*well-defined&principles&of&order.&His&spheres&of&influence&were&
clearly'classified'according'to'physical'proximity'and'as'such'exposure'to'his'culture,'into'
court&officials,&officials&at&vassal&courts,&tributary&courts&and&their&respective&subjects,(and(
finally'barbarians,'who'were'not'yet'under'his'heavenly'mandate.'Later'dynasties,'in'
particular)the)Ming)who)moved)the)capital)in)the)early)15th!century(to(Beijing(and(had(there(
the$Temple&of&Heaven&|&天坛erected,'continued'to'apply'this'essentially'social'and'strongly'
hierarchical(structure(of(the(emperor(and(his(court(being(the(center(of(the(known(world,(
culturally(superior(to(any(other(form(of(human(life.(Only(if(one(tries(to(understand%this%
more%than%two%millennia%long%self-perception)of)the)Chinese)elite,)one)can)phantom)the)
emotional)dimension)of)the)what)the)British)kicked)off)in)1839)with)the)Opium)Wars)and)
what%is%known%by%the%Chinese%as%Century(of(Humiliation(|(百年国耻.!
!
I"guess"we"can"summarize"a"few"answers"to"the"questions"raised"earlier"at"this"point:"!
1. Wait,&but&why&do&US&and&Chinese&governments&invest&about&10%&of&their&public&
expenditure*on*security*measures?*!
The$American$elite$is$captivated$in$a$prolongation$of$its$obsolete$20th!century(world(
dominance,*the*related*economic*model*of*industrial*growth!and$its$profit$focus$which$can$
only%be%sustained%by%creating%a%world%of%scarcity%and%poverty.%The%Chinese%elite%is%
enthralled)in)a)150-year!long%pursuit%to%regain%cultural%and%political%world%hegemony%and%
therefore'spends'insane'amounts,'in'particular'in'terms&of&purchasing&power,&on&domestic!
security)and)national)defense,)and)has)adopted)the)US)economic)system)as)means)to)meet)
that$end.!
2. Can$China$provide$a$better$system$of$international$governance$than$the$US?$Will$
there%be%any%change%in%how%we%run%this%planet&under&a&Pax$Sinica,"or"will"we"just"
swap%the%color%code%from%Yankee%blue%to%Maoist%red?%Where%is%Xi%Jinping’s%
weakness?!
Xi#Jinping#has#a#clear#inner#and#outer%focus,%which%makes%him!contrary(to!Donald'Trump'a"
strong'national'leader,'but'he'most'likely'lacks'the'required'other'focus'to'understand'the'
global&dimension&of&environmental&and&social&challenges&ahead,&which&demand&a&concerted&
effort&of&all!of#mankind#and#thus#an#integral,#inclusive#and#pragmatic#leadership.#With#a#
continuation(of(the(same(economic(growth(model(he(will(only(change(the(color(code(of(the(
world&hegemon,&but&won’t"be"able"to"give"future"generations"hope.!There%is%though%a%
chance!that$Xi$himself$initiates$in$the$tradition$of$Chinese$pragmatism$a$transition$from$
nationalist(to(globalist(leadership;(if(only(for!pure%power%based%calculations;%and%I%give%him%

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
my#full#endorsement#following#the#thoughts#of#management#philosopher#Peter#Drucker&
who$once$said:$!
!
One$hears$a$great$deal$today$about$“the$end$of$hierarchy.”$This$is$blatant$nonsense.$In$any$
institution'there'has'to'be'a'final'authority,'that'is,'a'“boss”'–!someone&who&can&make&the&final&
decisions(and(who(can(expect(them(to(be(obeyed.%In%a%situation%of%common%peril%–!and$every$
institution'is'likely'to'encounter'it'sooner'or'later'–!survival(depends$on$clear$command.$If#the#
ship%goes%down,%the%captain%does%not%call%a%meeting,%the%captain%gives%and%order.%And%if%the%
ship%is%to%be%saved,$everyone$must$obey$the$order,$must$know$exactly$where$to$go$and$what$to$
do,$and$do$it$without$“participation”$or$argument.$“Hierarchy”$and$the$unquestioning$
acceptance'of'it'by'everyone'in'the'organization,'is'the'only'hope'in'a'crisis.'!
!
!
!
有地球才有家
!|"One"World"One"Home!
!
If#Xi#Jinping#is#our#Captain#Planet,#then#I#would#have#a#few#recommendations#for#his#first#
term%during%the%next%five%years.%!

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
1. Convert(all(military(forces(into(planeteers(to!clean&up&the&debris&already'created!and$
prevent'future'degradation'of'natural'resources.'Allocate(national'defense'and'
homeland)security)spending)to)environmental)protection.)If)Captain)Xi)takes)the)
lead,&I&am&pretty&sure&that&quite&a&few&nations&will&follow&en&suite.&!
2. Convert(all(nationalist#propaganda#which#decorates#Chinese#streets,#schools,"
cinemas!and$public$spaces$into$globalist$propaganda.$Change$slogans$from$Happy$
National(Day(–!Wishing'the'Motherland'a'Future'of'Unlimited'Bliss'to'Happy'World'
Day$–!Wishing'our'Planet'a'Future'of'Unlimited&Bliss.&!
3. Transform)the)China)Dream)|)中国梦 into%a%World%Dream%世界梦!and$make$clear&to&
everybody(that(we(have(only(one(world,(which(is(all(our(home.(!
4. Transition)from)an)industrial)growth)system)to)an)integral)growth)system,)which)
creates'abundance'instead'of#scarcity.#!
5. Initiate'a'landslide'transformation'from'an'industrial'education'model'to'an'integral'
education*model,*setting*Chinese*students*free*from*the*competitive)drudgery'of'
excessively)acquiring)cognitive)skills)and$making$space$and$time$for$the$playful'
acquisition*of*collaborative*social*skills.!
!
!
!
The$Urgency$for$Transition$and$Captain$Xi’s$Responsibility!

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
!
Now,%some%readers%–!if#they#have#made#it#so#far#–!might&think&I&am&nuts;&but&be&assured&I&
am#all#sober#and#my#recommendations#to#Captain#Xi#do#only#reflect#the#facts#of#a#world#in#
peril.!Pax$Americana$created$after$WWII$abundance$for$much$of$the$Western$world,$but$at$
the$expense$of$the$developing$world$and$the$environment.$Pax$Sinica$is$set$to$develop$
abundance(for(the(sinocentric(world(at(the!expense&of&the&Western&world&and&the&
environment,"but"at"a"much"larger"and$thus$threatening$scale&considering&the&increase&in&
consumption*per*capita*and*roughly*one*billion*more*human*beings*being*added*to*this*
planet'each'decade,"in"particular"in"Asia"and"Africa,"China’s"second"continent.!!
!
Damien'Ma'and'William'Adams'captured'this'resource'driven'perspective'well'in'the'title'
of#their#2013%book%In#Line#Behind#a#Billion&People:&How&Scarcity&Will&Define&China's&Ascent&
in#the#Next#Decade."What"they"describe"is"a"China"which"is"at"the"center"of"an"economic"
system&which&circulates&around&commodity&and&utility&streams&geared&towards!profit'
maximization;*a*system*which*in#the#words#of#yet#another#economist,#F.#E.#Schumacher,#
does%not%operate%as%if%people%or%other%forms%of%life%mattered.%The$world$will$thus$continue$
to#spin#driven#by#the#same#profit#driven#economic#system#which#the#US#has#globalized;#only#
the$decision$makers$at$the$very$top$have$changed.$!
!
Sinica!hosts%Kaiser%Guo%and%Jeremy%Goldkorn%had%in%September%FT#journalist#Lucy#Hornby!
and$Greenpeace!East%Asia%Senior'Climate'&'Energy'Policy'Officer'Li#Shuo!as#guests#to#
discuss&China’s&environmental&headaches&and&their&impact&on"the"world"with"a"focus"on"
distant'water'fishing'and'soil'pollution.'The$crucial$question$in#summarizing#this#podcast#
episode'is'this:'Why'has'distant'water'fishing'declared'a'strategic)industry)by#the#Chinese#
government,*although*it*is*not*an*obvious*choice$like$industrial$robotics,$artificial$
intelligence(or(space(exploration?(I(will(try(to(explain(here(why.(!
!
Lucy%Hornby!tracks'down'the'squid'fishing'industry,'which'has'its'global&center,&where,&
you$guess,$in$China,$yes,$in$a$Zhejiang$coastal$city$called$Zhoushan,$not$far$from$Ningbo.$
And$she$does$so$because$squid&is&the&latest&and&one&of&the&last&resources&in&the&oceans&to&be&
exploited)by)humans)after)many)maritime)populations)like%mackerel%or%hake%have%
collapsed)in#the#past!few$decades.$!
!
Zhoushan(and"Qingdao"are"the"two"largest"Chinese"and"global"fishing"industry"locations;"
Zhoushan#accounting#for#70%#of#the#current#global#squid#caught#and#Qingdao#being#home%
to#the!world’s"largest"seafood"processing"industry.*Once#rich%waters%of%the%Chinese%coast&
have%been%emptied%in%the%90s%and%Chinese%fishermen%have%to%sail%ever%further%if%they%don’t"
want%to%return%empty%handed,%creating%a%vicious%cycle%of%having%to%haul%back%increasing%
amounts(of(fish(to(pay(for(the(increasing(costs(of(long$journeys$to$distant$waters.$What%
strikes'me'though'as'most'important)in)Hornby’s"account!is!the$clear$connection$of$all$

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
three%industry)sectors)and$the$impact$of$a$short&sighted,&profit&focused,&commodity(based(
economic'system'on#the#entire#value#chain#of#a#national#economy,#which#shapes#the#21st!
century(like!no#other.#!
!
Although(the$act$of$fishing'extracts'natural'resources'from'water'bodies,'it'is'considered'
part%of%the!primary'sector,'i.e.'agriculture.'The$impact$of$the$primary$sector$on$the$
secondary*and*tertiary#sector#is#far#from#obvious,#in#particular#for#Western&observers,&who&
are$used$to$less$than"two"percent"of"the"labor"force"being"active"in"agriculture."Hornby’s"
account'shows'though'that'our'economic'systems'depend'entirely'on'natural'resources'
and$cannot$be$sustained$without$them.$!
!
The$excessive'extraction'of'natural'resources'from%oceans'has'led'according'to!Greenpeace(
to!critical'conditions'in'more'than'90%'of'commercially'exploited'fish'stock.'Despite'this'
obvious'depletion'of'natural'maritime'resources,(the(commodity(based(economic(system(
which%China$has$adopted$in$the$1980s,$forces%the%central%and%provincial%governments%to%
subsidize!the$fishing$industry$in$order$to$sustain$employment'in'related'secondary'and'
tertiary!sector'industries;'instead'of'slowing'down'the$exploitation$is$stepped$up$in$the$
name%of%national'stability,'i.e.'power&and&profit.!
!
China&goes&even&so&far&as&to&declare!distant'water'fishing'a'strategic'industry,"because"it"
deems%itself%as%new%global%hegemon%entitled$to$exploit$the$entire$planet’s"international!
waters.(Conflicts*over*the*Diaoyu*(Chinese*for*fishing)*Islands,"which"have"erupted"with%
Japan%in#2012,!have%been%only%the%start%of%unavoidable%conflicts%with%a%nation%that%has%to%
fuel%its%insatiable!economic"system"on"a"scale"that"mankind"has"never"seen#before.#!!!
!
These%take%aways%clarify%why%it%is%Captain%Xi’s%responsibility%to%initiate%within%this%five-year%
legislation*period*a*transition*towards*a*new*economic*model*which*is*not*based*on*profit*
and$scarcity,$but$on$value$and!abundance;)an)economic)model)which)I)call)in)association)
with%Ken%Wilber’s%integral%metatheory,%the%integral%model,%because%!
1. it#does#not#exclude,#but#includes#all#spheres#of#the#global#ecosystem;!
2. it#takes#externalities#into#account#and#it#thus#based#on#deep#system#awareness;!
3. it#perceives#the#diversity#of#human#resources#as#the#most#important#natural#
resources'to'manage'a'turnaround'and'focuses'on'these'rather'than'on'
commodities.!!
!
!

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
!
!
There%Are$Many$Flames,$But#Only#One#Light#!
!
Theodore'Roosevelt!once%said%that%man%must%protect%himself%in%new$and$wild$communities'
where%there%is%violence;"and"until"other"means"of"securing"his"safety"are"devised,"it"is"both"
foolish'and'wicked'to'persuade'him'to'surrender'his'arms'while'the'men$who$are$dangerous$
to#the#community#retain#theirs.”!Kissinger(writes(that(for#Roosevelt,"if"a"nation"was"unable"or"
unwilling'to'act'to'defend'its'own'interests,'it'could'not"expect"others"to"respect"them"and"
therefore'his'favorite'proverb'Roosevelt’s)favorite)proverb!was!“Speak'softly,'but'carry'a'big'
stick.”!
!
Quite&frequently,&I!feel$that$Xi$Jinping$is$like$Roosevelt$a$realist;$and$what$else#should#he#be#
considering*that*China*is*in*terms*of*socio-economic'development'where'the$US$was$about$
a"century"ago?!But$we!have%to%hope%that%Xi!considers!a"Great"Leap"Forward!in#Chinese#
international)relations)management.!To#be#sure,#it"is"a"lot"to"be"asked"from"him,"because"no"
other&leader&ever&had&to&transform&himself&and$his$subjects$within&only&a&few&decades!to#
such%an!extent.&If#he#can#take#though%such%a!leap%of%faith%he#would#become#a#Chinese#
Woodrow&Wilson,"who"served&as&US&president&during&WWI.&He&exemplified&according!to#
Kissinger(idealism!in#international#relations#and#it#was#him#who#initiated&the&League&of&
Nations,)the)predecessor)to)the)United)Nations.)Wilson$was$much$ahead$of$his$time,$but$Xi$
would&be&just&in&time&to&focus&all&human&effort&on&the&solution&of&the&most&pressing&
challenges)of)21st!century(humanity."!
!

Is#Xi#Jinping!The$Captain'Planet,"The"World&Has$Been$Waiting'For?%!
Is#Xi#Jinping,"after"all,!the#Captain'Planet,"the#world%has$been#waiting&for?!I"wouldn’t"know"
for$sure,$but!even$if$I$would,$I$wouldn’t"put"all"my#money#on!a"single"political&leader,&but&ask&
what%I%could!do#myself.!In!an#era#of#consumer#empowerment,!it#is#my#daily#purchase#
decision(that(makes(a(small,(but(significant(difference.(Xi(might(be!Captain'Planet,'but'we'
are$all:$Planeteers.!!
!
Further'Reading:'!
- Ted$Conversation$on$Nationalism*vs.*Globalism!
- World&Order!by#Henry#Kissinger!
- MERICS'report!on#shadow#structure#of#international#organizations#set#up#by#China!
- China&-!Evolution's+New+Leading+Edge?!by#Knut#Wimberger!
- What%does%XJP%mean%for%the%World?!by#Knut#Wimberger!
- Focus&–!The$Hidden$Driver$of$Excellence!by#Daniel#Goleman!
- United'Nations'System:'organizational*overview!
- The$Souls$of$China:"The"Return"of"Religion"After"Mao!by#Ian#Johnson!
- Value&Propaganda!by#Knut#Wimberger!
- Everything+Under+the#Heavens:"How"China’s"Past"Helps"Shape"Its"Future!by#Howard#
French!
- Hong%Kong:"Polis"Between"2"Empires!by#Knut#Wimberger!
- In#Line#Behind#a#Billion#People:#How#Scarcity#Will#Define#China's#Ascent#in#the#Next#
Decade!by#Damien#Ma#and#William#Adams!
- China’s(Second(Continent:"How"a"Million"Migrants"are"Building"a"New"Empire"in"
Africa!by#Howard#French!
- China’s(Asian(Dream:(Empire(Building(Along(the(Silk(Road!by#Tom#Miller!
- China’s(Asia(Dream!by#Knut#Wimberger!!
- A"bigger"catch:"China’s"fishing"fleet"hunts"new"ocean"targets!by#Lucy#Hornby!
- 5"Problems"with"China’s"Distant!Water&Fishing&Industry!by#Li#Shuo#!
- Greenpeace"Briefing!on#Distant'Water'Fishing!
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