But how is it fair when the state of China doesn't play by the same rulebook as the western world? The have zero labour laws, dictator goverment, doesn't give a shit about regulations and laws in general, doesn't give a shit about patent laws copies everything. I can go on forever.
If we are to compete with them then we would have to create an equally shitty society.
Fair schmair when it's win or lose.
I doubt you and I will have to worry about it, but over the long haul competing societies will naturally select for the most effective. Even though our system utilizes internal competition to select for merit and innovation, which are nice things to produce, if we have no means of suspending dischord and unifying in a common purpose during times of conflict then we are destined to be victims of lesser systems which operate more efficiently.
The Roman Republic would transition to a dictatorship during times of strife, such as the Carthiginian invasion, and then revert over time back to a republic. We're so inflexible and married to our political and economic ideals that even small changes are damn near impossible. People would freak right the fuck out if you told them we're facing a threat which won't afford us the usual system and we've got to have an order issued-order followed dictatorship if we're going to get through this, yet none of those people would be in favor of the military canceling all ranks and adopting a majority rule voting system during war time.
Kind of talking out of both sides of my mouth. I wouldn't support suspension of property rights or counter-market forces like tariffs except in so far as they can incentivize action to steer the market to the point of their removal. On the other hand, we better figure something out, lol.
Bottom line is that representative democracy is beyond us. It needs those who are elected to do their job well and selflessly, and they don't. Its incumbent upon citizens to be savvy and tough, make wise choices and be willing to take bitter medicine over yummy indulgence when necessary, and that's not us at all. Everyone just votes for more bacon, and if you point out these two pigs are the last breeding pair we've got, all that will happen is they'll get slaughtered quicker.
Is there a secret government? I fuckin hope so!