What’s funny to me is that US public education teaches us that the Marshall Plan was this altruistic project undertaken by the US to revive a war-torn Europe no strings attached (so long as they join the “democratic” world). In reality, it was blatant US imperialism which all but ensured American influence (both to capture European markets and to contain the Soviets with powerful if subservient allies), but just so happened to be also beneficial to the recipients at the time so it was a “win-win”.

But because Orientalism and Anticommunism are also drilled into our minds at a young age, it never occurs to many Americans that the Chinese (and to a lesser extent the Russians, albeit for the interests of their Bourgeoisie) are engaging in a similar plan with peoples of the Global South. Not even a more critical “analysis” which considers the BRI Chinese Imperialism but one that’s beneficial for all parties involved. It’s just those sneaky red orientals trying to exploit the “dumb non-whites who don’t know any better” (who are choosing the Chinese over the West because reasons), and undermine our undeniably positive influence on the world.