I USED to think that Robert Kaplan was an excellent geoanalyst until I read his book Asia's Cauldron: The South China Sea and the End of a Stable Pacific (2014) which deals with the current geopolitical situation in Southeast Asia. He foresees a potential danger for the planet in the strong nationalism of the countries of the region and the recent expansionist attempts by China. Mr. Kaplan sounds to be a very knowledgeable person about every intellectual matter he tackles, an expert on political, social and cultural affairs about every nation he talks about. However, I have to confess my deepest disappointment when I finished reading the chapter he devoted to the Philippines, entitled "America's Colonial Burden."

Kaplan starts his essay mentioning The Manila Shawl, a painting by Matisse that reminds him of the Spanish legacy in the Philippines. Shawls were traded in Manila, but fabricated in China. Thanks to the Galleon trade, Manila became a cultural melting pot and a landmark of early globalization: the spicy taste of the many dishes in Southeast Asia would be impossible without the chili traded from Mexico. Anyway, Kaplan's mention is just an anecdotal but strategic starting point to introduce his explanation, from the historical point of view, for the current disheartening situation in the Philippines.

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