The Long Game

China's Grand Strategy to Displace American Order

By: Rush Doshi

Narrated by: Kyle Tait

Length: 18 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

In The Long Game, Rush Doshi draws from a rich base of Chinese primary sources, including decades worth of party documents, leaked materials, memoirs by party leaders, and a careful analysis of China's conduct to provide a history of China's grand strategy since the end of the Cold War. 

Taking listeners behind the Party's closed doors, he uncovers Beijing's long, methodical game to displace America from its hegemonic position in both the East Asia regional and global orders through three sequential "strategies of displacement." Beginning in the 1980s, China focused for two decades on "hiding capabilities and biding time." After the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, it became more assertive regionally, following a policy of "actively accomplishing something." Finally, in the aftermath populist elections of 2016, China shifted to an even more aggressive strategy for undermining US hegemony, adopting the phrase "great changes unseen in century."

After charting how China's long game has evolved, Doshi offers a comprehensive yet asymmetric plan for an effective US response. Ironically, his proposed approach takes a page from Beijing's own strategic playbook to undermine China's ambitions and strengthen American order without competing dollar-for-dollar, ship-for-ship, or loan-for-loan.

©2021 Rush Doshi (P)2022 Kalorama

fresh perspective, grand strategic view

Over the past few weeks, I've read The Hundred Year Marathon (by a retired senior spy), The Third Revolution (by a leading academic), Superpower Showdown (by a pair of US and Chinese journalists) and China-US Relations In The Eyes Of The Chinese Communist Party: An Insider’s Perspective (by a defector). It was all starting to get pretty repetitive but I was blown away by The Long Game, with its original approach using textual sources, and its approach of analysing the grand strategy. Somehow it was able to turn something as dry as old speeches and documents into an exhilarating read by drawing out the intentions behind the words. I highly recommend this book, with the caveat that it does get a bit repetitive in parts (could benefit from some editing) and it might be a little dry for people who are not military or foreign policy junkies.

Digestible & Informative

A compelling argument for China's modern/recent activities and future intentions, this book weaves together many perspectives with plenty of evidence supporting China's goal to replace to US as the dominant power in the global hierarchy.

100 pages too long

The argument is well constructed but the book is too long. Author hits his points so heavily that you can get bored and ready for him to move on. For example, he quotes leaders saying assissins mace for several pages. One time with stats would have been enough. The three phase argument is very helpful to understand the policy evolution. The story about the ukrainian carrier was also fascinating.

Like reading a textbook

This author is obviously incredibly knowledgeable about the topic and has important perspectives to share. But the book reads like a college text…..the three classifications of this, the four theories of that, the six components of the other thing, OMG, could you have a woven a little bit of a story flow into this to make it interesting? Consider some dramatic tension? We are talking potential war here.

Liberal World Order. 100 year marathon liberal POV

This is a water down 100 year marathon. if you keep up on current times that are from alternative media and you have read 100 year marathon, and Creature from Jekyll island you will be more up to date then this book and know more. not water down facts since everything in this book you could have googled there is not hidden information or anything like that. No mention of CBDC for the reason for the Chinese swift system. He referred to the USA as a liberal nation. Clearly he is a liberal that dose not want to cross the line into conspiracy realism to look at any deeper meaning of anything so everything is surface level.

POLITICAL EVOLUTION

Rush Doshi's review of China's history in "The Long Game" is enlightening. One cannot deny the truth and logic of Doshi's explanation of China's commitment and success in returning to international prominence. Doshi's proficiency in Mandarin Chinese and his thorough review of China's history give credibility and gravitas to his assessment. Doshi explains China's socialist belief is grounded in Leninist communist theory. Lenin believed in the Marxist principles of history and society that show materialism leads to human exploitation.

The irony of Doshi's history is that no form of government has been found that fairly mitigates self-interest inherent in human beings. Just as American leaders who have put their personal interest above the interests of their country, Chinese communist leaders have been found to be corrupt and more concerned about themselves than the lives of their country's people. Both China and America have a history of discrimination and unfair treatment of their citizens.

The evolution of political governance offers a kernel of hope for world peace. Until a form of government equitably manages human self-interest, periodic wars and social unrest will continue. Neither China nor America have found an answer. One may conclude from Doshi's history, the answer is neither "Big Brother" control nor unregulated freedom.

Informational!!

Incredibly informative and intriguing all at the same time. Very well written and perfectly executed.

No Trust China

Amazingly researched. Learned so much. Recommend to every American if we can get them off their TikTok.

Sobering look at the future

Every generation faces it’s own fears of the future; ours is no different. I appreciate Doshi’s willingness to present both sides of our world’s potential future … just hoping we get smart quickly because we’re already right of bang.

Pride and prejudice, that’s it

Many assertions from CCP are actually meant for Chinese domestic listeners to keep their authority. Don’t over exaggerate it.

Excellent understanding of Grand Strategy

Having read a few books on China's Grand Strategy, this may be the most objective, but perhaps not the most broad ranging.
Doshi bases much of his book on the strategic realignment stemming from the Trifecta of events, Tiananmen in 1989, Gulf War 1 and the Collapse of the Soviet Union. Changes unseen in a century, as is frequently reiterated.
A central problem with this book is the repetitive nature, and the repeat of the phrase "changes unseen in a century" sometimes had me literally screaming.
However, a decent book overall and an objective way to understand China's financial and military strategy.

This should be an easy

I think this should not really be a book but an essay. It could be written in two chapters. I am getting fed up with the author just saying the same thing again and again as he stretches out the book