Thomas P.M. Barnett :: Weblog

1) That is because Korean is phonetic-based (not characer-based) language. No wonder. :) Each character-looking symbol is an arrangement of 2-3 sub-components of "alphabets". They are arranged into a square (vs in English they are arranged in a line).

2) If you have published in HK or Taiwan (which uses the traditional character) or Singapore (which uses the simplified character), there would be decent circulation inside mainland China. (but less ideal mainly because the cost is much higher to Chiense readers)

Not to nitpick, but written Korean isn't character-based... They have a phonetic alphabet.

I believe the current dialectic in the Chinese leadership is to deny that globalization or any trade or interaction with those not of the Inner Kingdom is directly causing change in China. It is all what should be expected and not encouraged or discouraged. After all, how many Chinese are really aware of where, why, how, when the increasing standard of living and GDP growth began to accelerate. Or how many Americans are aware of the decline in the mean GDP per person. They (the Chinese regime)is trying to ride the tiger and pretend that they are not impacted by the outside world. PNP is the kind of book that indicates that the regime is not solely in control of its fate and the future. Why not just get someone to subsidize the printing in Mandarin or whatever, with plausible deniability of course (we wouldn't want Tom to be precluded from future visits) and let them float into the Inner Kingdom by osmosis.

Tough crowd.

Here's an alternative thought, give away the book and sell a community.

Which would freak out the PRC censors more, a small run of 5k in an academic press or an electronic creative commons version released uncensored on the net and likely to have a circulation a hundred times greater teamed with a 'for pay' community site discussing how to close the gaps in the PRC?

When faced with new alternatives, giving in on a lightly censored version of PNM may just end up looking like the best deal that they can salvage.

@william and tm,

i think the reason for the censorship is not against the key theme of PNM, but regarding the tone about china and human rights/etc. the original PNM, i believe, has pentagon as one of its key audiences and use some of the pentagon jargons (eg regarding china), which china find offensive, but tom is not going to bow even though these are peripheral to the theme of the book, that is the main issue.

so this is not about the fight against an evil empire, or that PNM will fundamentally shake the foundation of this government. i think what is important is to let more people inside china understand where the US policies comes from, and what the more intelligent people in US think and believe, it would help to enhance mutual understanding. and of course, PNM itself contains great academic ideas that it would be a pity if it is missed by the readers inside china

TML is on the right track. I say, whatever they do NOT publish, put THAT free, in Chinese, on the Net. People will want to buy the book to get the rest, and many people will start their exposure to PNM with the exact material the censors don't want them to have. Everyone wins except the censors.

Sent a copy of PNM and BFA to an old USMC friend in Hong Kong and he shared it with his Chinese colleagues. The books are making the rounds in the Chinese manufacturing world. It has become a popular basis of disussion at many gatherings he attends - he feels the Chinese are buying into ideas and concepts Tom lays out and many Chinese in his social circle are saying "let us remember our past but create a new future." China also wants to be - according to his colleagues part of the Leviathan force that intervenes should any terrorists or country impinge on China's industrialized economy.
Bring on the 6th Generation
PNM & BFA can be very instrumental in creating the new future. Go Tom!