Otherwise Maladroit

02 June 2004

02 June 2004

It just occurred to me that power is moving counterclockwise - that is right to left or East to West, following Western geography. The earliest traces of civilization and the first empires sprung between China and Egypt. After that, the Romans annexed areas of these lost empires and in the way picked up Christianity and imported it into Europe. In turn, religion became the catalyst that began the dawn of European colonialism. Between the Dark Ages to the end of World War II, discounting the kingdoms in East Asia that were largely regional powers, the fulcrum of world politics was in Europe. Even the Ottoman Empire, though Islamic, was ruled from present-day Turkey. Then from the ruins of Europe, the steering wheel hopscotched from the UK to the US. Now, after decades of undisputed control (discounting the American farce called the Cold War) the flagging US economy is being challenged by emerging Asian economies catering to local markets that have embraced American consumerism.

posted by Otherwise Maladroit @ 6:03 PM