The return of the capitalist-authoritarian great powers

The Glasshouse Forum Secretariat’s strategic assessment of the round-table conference on “The return of the capitalist-authoritarian great powers”, 23-24 April, 2008:

At this stage we distinguish four points of focus for further discussion and analysis:

• A clarification of the historical experience, primarily as regards the Third Reich. Would a regime of that kind have been able to stabilise itself and reproduce economic, technical and scientific knowledge?
• Is there a Chinese model?  Let us hear the conclusions arrived at by Chinese and Western intellectuals at an intellectual summit.
• The return of state capitalism in the West? State-owned companies seem to be back as major players, and through sovereign wealth funds they are also players in other states.  How are the economic and political agendas balanced against one another?
• Spheres of interest and financial intertwining. What would the division of the world into spheres of influence between the superpowers look like, and is their rivalry influenced by financial intertwining?