04-25-2004, 12:04 PM
A 10 cent explaination for China's inward retreat is to say that the middle kingdom had a decisive regional superiority that was never reproduced in Europe. Even well into the age of exploration, China was pretty much untouchable in her own sphere of influence. That really is the rub -- power like that possessed by 14-15th century China tends to remove the pressure to innovate.
On the other hand, the balkan nature of Europe put a lot of pressure on otherwise conservative regimes to embrace new technologies. Those rulers that were too traditional to employ firearms could rest asured that that someone in their region was going to experiment.
Even as I write this I think of another good example of bizarre technological trends -- Japan. Medeval Nippon was engulfed in a spirited civil war for much of the Age of Exploration. Despite being a highly traditional, socially stratified people (then), numerous Japanese lords embraced foriegn religions and weaponry in an attempt to gain advantage over their rivals; kind of a Europe in microcausm. After the civil war ended and a strong shogunate was established, the Japanese were quick to rid themselves of christianity, foreigners and firearms, not necessarily in that order.
I'd say that anyone writing about colonization and exploration could make a pretty strong arguement that competition is a prominent motive. At the very least, competition provides the impetus for innovation and innovation provides the technology that makes colonization possible and/or profitable.
On the other hand, the balkan nature of Europe put a lot of pressure on otherwise conservative regimes to embrace new technologies. Those rulers that were too traditional to employ firearms could rest asured that that someone in their region was going to experiment.
Even as I write this I think of another good example of bizarre technological trends -- Japan. Medeval Nippon was engulfed in a spirited civil war for much of the Age of Exploration. Despite being a highly traditional, socially stratified people (then), numerous Japanese lords embraced foriegn religions and weaponry in an attempt to gain advantage over their rivals; kind of a Europe in microcausm. After the civil war ended and a strong shogunate was established, the Japanese were quick to rid themselves of christianity, foreigners and firearms, not necessarily in that order.
I'd say that anyone writing about colonization and exploration could make a pretty strong arguement that competition is a prominent motive. At the very least, competition provides the impetus for innovation and innovation provides the technology that makes colonization possible and/or profitable.