The Failed Arithmetic of Seven Plus One Equals Eight
Germany, Japan, Italy, Russia, Canada, France and Britain represent 7/8ths of what has come to be known as the G-8, a loose group of the world’s most industrialized (or otherwise) important nations. It has its own idiosyncracies, including Russia’s inclusion even though they are weak and China’s exclusion even though they are strong.
This circumstance, as much as any other, keeps the G-8 toothless except for how they choose to distribute the spoils of their economies among the less fortunate. There’s a certain imperial tone about the whole thing, except when it makes itself silly.
Not including China makes it silly. 7/8ths knuckling under to the remaining 1/8th makes it even more silly and borders on earning a reputation as irrelevant. The knuckling under comes, shrouded in diplomatic language, desperately trying to find a way for seven nations to trash their consensus to accommodate the 800 pound gorilla among them.
Put a good face on it, guys and try to kick off the year-long presi…