INTRODUCTION

As so dramatically demonstrated by the recent invasion of Ukraine, the vision of an American-led world converging on the same set of values is not embraced by all, which leads many to the question: is Taiwan next?

 This mini-course for adults will systematically unveil the anchor facts and key periods of Chinese history, using the unique approach of “present-centrism” as presented in the History of Now. It will also extend the analysis further based on the methods employed in my forthcoming book, the History of Tomorrow, in order to provide a predictive framework to anticipate what comes next. 

 Here’s your chance to penetrate beyond the bias of legacy media coverage and the cacophony of social media influencers to the kind of insight and foresight that only present-centric history can provide!

MINI-COURSE OUTLINE

Lesson 1: China and the World We Live In

This lesson will focus on the configuration of the world’s major cultures today, including post-Maoist China, in order to properly stage the study of Chinese history in its full and proper context.

Lesson 2: Chinese History in One Lesson

Using the method of anchor facts, this lesson will present the full outline of Chinese history in a manner accessible to the non-expert.

Lesson 3: A Nation Humiliated

This lesson will build on the framework established in lesson 2 to examine the history of Chinese foreign relations, with an emphasis of the notion of the “Middle Kingdom” and its interactions with the wider world.

Lesson 4: Chinese Collectivism and Statism

Also extending the framework from lesson 2, this lesson will present the succession of collectivist forms of government from monarchy, to communism, and finally the post-Maoist fascism of Xi Jinping’s China.

Lesson 5: Xi’s China – A Predictive Historical Construct

Integrating the history of China and the cultures to which its evolution is essentially linked will allow us to explore the full cultural significance of China’s aspiration to great power status and its relation to the Taiwan question. Few histories are more relevant to the history of tomorrow.