SSTLS Pages 154-156

In his article “Will China Surpass U.S. as a World’s Superpower?” in the Chicago Tribune, Varjavand argues that the United States will continue to holds its position as a world’s superpower due to its influential capitalistic economy and positive attitudes toward foreign policy, human rights, multiculturalism, equality, and education. Varjavand claims that China will take years to bridge the gap necessary to reach the world-status currently held by the United States because of its unstable political system. Further, the presence of many poor citizens also prevents China from growing as a superpower and despite any economic crises that the U.S. might experience ahead “there is light at the end of the tunnel” (Varjavand, 2015).  Varjavand’s position contradicts the futuristic happenings in SSTLS, where China is a global superpower with a very wealthy population. In the United States portrayed by Shteyngart China is seen as the driving force behind the American economy, but China’s citizens are parsimonious and won’t spend their money in America. In the story, in a meeting with the Governor of the People’s Bank of China-Worldwide, Wangsheng Li, U.S. president Cortez states: “The American people need China-Worldwide to become a savior of our last manufacturers, large and small. China is no longer a poor country. It is time for the Chinse people to spend”. In this dystopic world, the odds that China would become a Superpower came true, refuting Varjavand’s argument. Ultimately, SSTLS presents the worst possible scenario of what could happen if the United States wouldn’t recover from the Great recession of 2008.

Varjavand, Reza. “Will China Surpass U.S. as World’s Superpower?” Chicago Tribune. Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2015. Web. 5 Oct. 2015.