The problem I see with much of the discussion of Fareed's book -- and Michael Lind's response in particular-- is that it is so centered on relations and conflicts between nation-states and seems to leave little room for analyzing the conflicts between social and economic groups that exist within nations and extend across multiple nations.

Let me jump off from Matt's comment that those attacking China from the left seem to be "focused on finding ways to keep the Chinese population trapped in crushing poverty."  Actually, for most of those "bashing China", they are far more attacking the multinational companies-- American and Chinese -- that are getting rich at the expense of the average American and Chinese worker.   Since the main leftwing position on trade with China is not to shut down trade but to demand that workers have the right to demand higher wages and to end the confinement of labor union organizers to mental hospitals, this is hardly a demand to confine the population to poverty.

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