Chip War

Analyzing the present and forecasting the future through history is my favorite approach. That holds true even if the conclusion amounts to little more than a fanfare for the superiority of the American capitalist system.

Who doesn’t want to get rich? Semiconductors, once used only in a limited way by the military, were released cheaply into the civilian market by greedy Americans, and through repeated competition and progress, they have effectively become the philosopher’s stone of our time. It wasn’t just computing power that grew. Semiconductors also became far cheaper. America’s allies grew rich by diligently manufacturing semiconductors. It was something that was impossible under Soviet communism and possible only in America.

And now, in 2025, with China challenging the United States, can America win once again? The book avoids giving a direct answer, but to sum it up in a single phrase: America wins this time too. Cracking down on things like technology theft is no match for capitalism’s mightiest force, greed.

But America has its weaknesses too. Taiwan, the production base for the most advanced semiconductors, is under threat from China. Moreover, the production of mid- to low-end semiconductors is heavily dependent on China. For this reason, the conflict is expected to continue for at least the next decade or more.

Chip War: Who Will Be the Final Victor of the Semiconductor War

by Chris Miller / translated by Roh Jung-tae

Booky

May 19, 2023

Original title: Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology

20250101