Ruy Lopez

Have been reading up on this subject lately and if one googles "int'l trade dollar reserves", plenty of material for and against dollar hegemony comes up. Articles against dollar hegemony outnumber the pro.

I have selected this link by Henry C. K. Liu because it is the least vulnerable to criticism as applied to leftists and US haters.

http://www.atimes.com/global-econ/DD11Dj01.html

He does not dwell on the dangerous financial position of the US but rather on the effects of a dollar hegemony policy on emerging markets and the 3rd world--why there are "failed states" and countries chronically starved of capital as well as with ever devaluing currencies.

Before this article, I never realized the meaning of "mercantilism" even after looking it up in the dictionary. Also "laissez faire" originally meant something different from its current meaning.

Unless you want to scare yourself about the US economic future, do not read the other google links. This seems to be the most learned; it has more stuff.

Edit for Vorkosigan;

I remember about a year ago your reference to "the US selects which countries it wants to favor or punish" economically, especially in Asia. You did not explain but the comment registered up here. Is this what you were referring to?