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The new colonialists

Hi, I've written the text belove for an English exercise (University exam level C1). Please tell me what corrections I should make.

Thank you,

Freschi

THE NEW COLONIALISTS

SUMMARY:

The impressive Chinese growth of the last years has led lots of benefits both for industrialized and developing countries. Trade all over the world has increased because of Chinese import and export markets expansion. The rising demand of raw materials benefits not only big corporations, but even small farmers, miners and generally many workers. On a geopolitical point of view, analysts claim that the expansion of Chinese political weight risks being disruptive for democracy and progress in countries still oppressed by dictatorships such as Sudan and Myanmar. In the past indeed China financed the nastiest of this governments; however nowadays Beijing is starting to control this small and heavy dictators and begins to collaborate with United Nations. In a few words, what could be a disruptive factor in the past is now becoming a big benefit that can help to bring stability in many difficult areas in Asia and even in Africa.

The main problem of Chinese growth is its sustainability; on one side, Chinese cities are ever more polluted, on the other Chinese hunger for natural resources risks to be disruptive for the environment all over the world. The incredible growth of these years has poisoned the air of Chinese populated areas, making life very difficult for local population. It is clear that China should adopt a different development strategy, but right now it does not appear to be.

 

Supercycle:

The huge expansion of Chinese demand for raw materials is not explainable in the term of an increase of economic cycle. The term “supercycle” indicates an extraordinary growth, independent from on-going cycle.

China is hoovering up:

“China is eating eagerly even more commodities”. The expression means that the country needs many resources because of the characteristics of its industries, especially for heavy production such as steelmaking.

Drag on society:

The consequences of pollution do not only concern Chinese economy, but also end up impinging on society; indeed, pollution and economic development are causing deaths and sickness in industrialized area, placing enormous health- and by consequence financial- problems.

 

a)      I think that in this as in other matters, economic interests comes first. We can’t discuss about how the world is dealing with global warming; we must divide this “world” into two groups: on one side, common people, on the other the owners of the means of production, businessmen and such low company. Common people have been asking for a change for decades, while policy makers continue to make the interests of few powerful people who want and need to pollute.

Regarding developing countries, it is sure that they should play a stronger role to save environment, but economically they have no interest to do so: it is difficult to imagine that they will sacrifice growth for the environment

b)      Rome is not Beijing, but however smog causes lots of troubles for the local population.

We have to understand that there is no compatibility between environment and capitalism: the greed and the race for profits in the capitalistic mode of production are by definition the opposite of environmental protection. I trust that only the overrun of capitalism will save the planet.

c)       Aid schemes are useful insofar as they help to preserve old colonialist mechanisms. I don’t think that they will alleviate poverty, most of all because the eradication of the problem is not their main target. Western countries should promote an independent and selfish development for these countries.

 

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