Just Another Millenial Travel Blog

A happy Hanna that comes from her swim in the hotel pool now drinking her Oolong tee and is about to write this latest post. Today’s topic (once again) is a very small one. So in order to narrow it down, I would like to, as shield and sword, start with something as dry as a definition. Power is, according to britannica.com, in political science and sociology, the capacity to influence, lead, dominate, or otherwise have an impact on the life and actions of others in society. The concept of power encompasses, but is not limited to, the notion of authority.

So why am I bore you with something as dry as a definition? And where is the connection to the Chinese wall, where I went, as planned, today? Unfortunately I have to mention another definition here, to come at some point to an conclusion and clarification here. As the Chinese wall is obviously a standing term what it is precisely should be defined as well (you know I love sharpe and precise language, sorry to torture you): the Chinese wall is a series of fortifications in China. They were built across the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China as protection against various nomadic groups from the Eurasian Steppe. As someone who studied basically next to the Hadrian’s wall recognition from my times in the UK come back.

These monuments (and especially the Great Wall of China is a true monument with about 21.000 km of length) are an physical translation of power into bricks. Power in the end has, in my approach, to be prevailed with force, doesn’t it? So in order that these ancient regimes where abled to defend against invasions from foreigners of all kind they needed to do two things: deterrence and violent enforcement of their targets. I honestly don’t believe that the bottom line of the enforcement of power claims has changed significantly since Game of Thrones and Machavelli. Us in the West did just became to comfortable, detached and rich to realise. Every functioning state in the end has to act with compulsion in order to be effective – otherwise you will have a failed state. In organisations, and companies are organisations, in the end the strongest people come to top who are able to enforce their own interests. When it comes to power it is always blood sports to some extent (and yes, I am happy that I do not life in Stone Age – for a mammoth I would have been, taken my talents for sports into consideration, a good snack). So just that the focal abilities changed (from physical to brain power) the principles of power remained.

So what did Machiavelli, as the most classic author (read this before you enter corporate life), says her? Basically he tells that governments have in order to archive stability, which is seen as main target, can act without ethical constraints. With law we of course agreed on some foundations, which when it comes to international law, are obviously broken regularly. But isn’t in the end homo homini lupus? Of course, as an economist I also do believe that in the first state everyone strives for peace and prosperity and as long as the cake is growing it is all good but what will happen when it really comes to hard distribution struggles. Do you really assume that than knifes won’t be drawn?

Only as we are detached from the principles of powers in everyday life today and as western societies for now agreed on the rule of law this is not a happily ever after. There was a reason why my favorite professor in my bachelors recommended us to read Clausewitz („corporate life is war“ to directly quote him). In the end we are mammals with a tough survival instinct and civilisation is the coating over the porcelain. As I have read Human kind from Ruthger Bregmann I was for some time a bit more optimistic but came to the conclusion that e.g. his example that soldiers (I think it was WWI) deliberate missed their target was also due to enhance their own probability of survival. Civilisation is a narrow burr, and I am lucky I live in 2025 after all, but in order to keep the rule of law, that is built on the blood of centuries of war in Europe I am deeply convinced we have to become strong and resilient again in our societies and have to learn to fight again, also with last hardness. Otherwise our beloved west will soon land on scrap heap of history, when the economic decline continues in this pace.

Merely a strong democracy, including a strong military, is a good one, otherwise the villain states will win. If we agree as society to become weak and not to defend our values anymore that is an acceptable consensus but we do not have to wonder to wake up in 30 years impoverished and helplessly dispatched to darker forces. Seeing the incredible perseverance, willpower and will to enforce realised in something as monumental as the Chinese wall today, without any modern technologies, is a torch of what mankind is abled to do. We need a cultural change now to get back to strength. The West in the 20th century only won due to strength the war of systems. Let’s return back to the values that made us strong: democracy, capitalism, freedom of speech, rule of law and life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

As you now received some insights in my thoughts of the day that I had while walking the wall I, as a good travel blogger, of course want to share some impressions from the Chinese walls:

Some notions on travel blogging: due to the uncertainty that I faced in beforehand to this trip I booked a group tour today. To be straightforward here I am not the type to do something like that and I am very happy about my individual, of course slightly riskier, solo tour in China. Being dependent from a guide and a group really not fits with what I want – as you cannot have freedom and security at the same time I would always go for freedom and uncertainty. As you might know I didn’t particularly enjoy school (and loved to challenge critical discussions for certain teachers) and I am not made to trot behind uncritical.

Other interesting side aspect: I learnt today that, my absolute favorite flower, peony is the national flower of China.

A great video about China, and especially our very biased perception in the West, that I saw today and that I highly recommend watching: https://youtu.be/a4NxZkFIdjE?si=ajEsIL6nqFODBnBQ