IS THIS REALLY THE ASIAN CENTURY?

Starting around the ninth century the Europeans began building something the world had never seen before. It was a continent wide network of universities and other centres of learning staffed by well paid academic researchers. For the first time in history you had a continent-wide network of people whose sole job was the production of knowledge.

The result was the coordinated use of scientific methods to solve problems in navigation, ship building and warfare on a scale never before seen.

At the same time the Europeans invented better wheels and better carts which enabled them to carry on trade even after the Roman roads decayed. In fact it is arguable the Roman roads were allowed to decay because they were no longer needed. Horse-drawn carts with steel-rimmed wheels, as opposed to carts drawn by oxen with wooden wheels, could and did travel anywhere.

The development of waterborne trade making use of Europe's many rivers also aided economic development.

There was also a revolution in agriculture with the invention of better ploughs.

But above all there was the network of centres of learning. Europeans had willy-nilly invented the knowledge economy.

The Ottomans had universities, some of them excellent, many of them pre-dating their European counterparts. But they were not part of a network. Thus Ibn Al-Nafis discovered the circulation of the blood centuries before Harvey But since he was not part of a network there was no one to carry the research further.

What we see happening in Asia now is a huge investment in science and technology. It is arguable that there is greater respect for science in Asia today than in, say, North America. Certainly there is more respect for science in most of Asia than in Australia.

So are Asians adopting and improving on the knowledge economy, Europe's greatest invention.

Is this the "Asian" century?

Or is it the continuation of the European millennium in another part of the world?

Has "Europe" migrated to Asia as it once did to North America?

Just thought I'd leave that there for comment.

stevenlmeyer,
I think you're dead on with the term stagnation. The West is definitely extremely close to reaching that state. Asia is poised but I think their sheer numbers will cause them to reach only a couple of decades at the peak before succumbing to social decay as we're doing now.

Great article, well written and painstakingly researched! If only all our posters were as erudite.
Asian Century or Asian Millennium? Probably, and underlined by our increasing dependence on Asia and all things Asian; and indeed, Asia's symbiotic relationship, with the so-called west or developed economies? Rhrosty.

The reason I enjoyed this article so much is that it shows how the paths of history cross and recross.
Too much of our thinking is linear and isolated. We become alienated from the greater whole. It's not either/or, it's and. We are all human. We all live here. Together.
Always trade has followed the flag, and the flag has always been carried by armies. Its speculative, of course, but do you reckon we can ever escape this dynamic?
History is not Asian or Mongolian or Phoenician or European except in the details, details recorded in the local newspapers or on cuneiform tablets. It's global. All we need do is see it.
The Memory of the World International Register. The memory of the world. How sobering is that

The scope of Ms. Cleary’s article is almost breathtaking. The amount of detail, garnered to buttress her claim of Asian leadership in economic and cultural matters over many millennia, is very impressive, yet, amazingly, not verbose. I agree that it would be helpful if she made at least some rough historical comparisons between Asian and Western culture and economics, with some comment (if possible) on why and when Western culture and economics surged ahead, and whether Asian culture and economics took second place. Some minor editing might enhance the overall purpose of the work. That said, I think Dr. Cleary should also publish her work – especially on topics of this sort – in mainline journals of politics, culture, and public opinion, to gain as wide an audience as possible, and to exert more influence on politics, economic theory, education, and public attitudes.

A wonderful article challenging our own cultural biases and perspectives, and also perhaps more confronting for those who wish to view Asia through their own Western coloured perspectives and have no desire to step out of their comfort zone. However, the evidence is clear, The Memory of the World inscriptions should not be underestimated. If we could consider The Memory of the World Inscriptions as a source and different way for interpreting Asia we might be able to reconcile our perspective regarding where we stand in Asia.
I am looking forward to reading more of Tania’s work. Thank you.