Gaming the System?

One common way of looking at China’s success at the Olympics is as metaphor for its rise–with the conclusion being that its rise to the top of the medals tables (just like its rise in its global standing) is tainted by too much state interference–that it’s done so by a brutal sports machine. In this piece, my first for the Council on Foreign Relations’ “Asia Unbound” blog, I take issue with this facile analysis, arguing that while it might not be desirable, it’s no different from what other countries do to win Olympic glory.