Late Classical Era:

I’m struggling to come up with some type of cohesive thought on a specific topic covered in this week's assigned reading.  My struggle may partly ensue from a desire to identify information from the past that can be used to intentionally influence the present and direct the future.  I must be discontent with at least some aspects of the current state of the World if I desire to change the course of history.

Perhaps as we learned last week, I need to follow the Analects of Confucius, particularly, “What the superior man seeks , is in himself.  What the mean man seeks, is in others.”  It is much easier to see the harm others inflict than the harm I inflict upon others. 

Some human behaviors dating back at least as far as the commerce that flourished via the silk, sea and sand roads (i.e. between approximately 200 B.C.E. and 1500 C.E.) seemed not unlike behaviors of current times.  For instance; obtaining luxury goods from distant lands to convey status within communities not located near major cosmopolitan cities or for elites to distinguish themselves from commoners (Strayer page 316).  Human beings continue to use products as status symbols; designer clothes, jewelry, automobiles, homes, exclusive memberships, technology, etc.  Back then, it was silk and cotton goods, porcelain, ivory, gold, tortoiseshell, jade, spices, etc.   

Growth in the demand for luxury goods reshaped not only the lives of those producing them, transporting them and receiving them, but the regions the goods traveled from, through and to as well.  As an example, Chinese peasants began producing silk, porcelain, paper, lacquer ware and iron tools for sale in distance locales instead of producing food.  This change reduced the economic self-sufficiency of their local societies (Strayer pages 316 and 321) not unlike today.  Those transporting and selling the goods often experienced economic and social mobility, as they became part of wealthy merchant classes.  States who taxed both the producers and merchants experienced economic growth and increased power over larger areas, and in turn, were able to provide more security to merchants and travelers.  Some merchants who were able to supply the demand for luxury goods amassed great fortunes.  Much of this seems like a precursor to the capitalism and materialism of present times.

It was also interesting to read how owning luxury goods helped propel new people to positions of power or helped those already in leadership positions to maintain and increase their power.  One could argue this is similar to the wealthy elite classes of today.  I can see some of the appeal in obtaining large amounts of wealth and power.  This past weekend, I had a problem with my computer network at home.  In the midst of my frustrating attempt at pretending to be an IT specialist, I thought it would be nice to be a modern day Emperor who could simply order someone else to fix the problem while I used my time in a much more enjoyable fashion.  I think many of us dream of financial independence, being served rather than serving, avoiding labors we do not enjoy performing, etc.  Unfortunately, it appears throughout history, some forms of this come at a great cost to others.  I was surprised to learn some Buddhists owned slaves and African leaders traded slaves for luxury goods.  While society no longer practices slavery, I think some factions still have a tendency to see just how nominal a wage they can pay workers in order to maximize the profits on the goods being produced and sold.  As consumers looking for inexpensive goods, we might be sustaining such systems.  I would like to spend some time researching possible alternatives.

I was surprised to learn west Africans traded gold for salt.  In our current value system, that seems ludicrous.  However, they were simply bartering for a dietary and food preservation necessity with a precious metal that seemed to be plentiful at the time.

Companies that create copycats of products today do not seem much different from how the Korean, Japanese, Indian and Persians ended China’s monopoly on the production of silk by learning to produce it themselves.

Culture and disease spread through the silk, sea and sand roads too.  The spread of religious and political ideologies had an even more influential role on changing the globe than commerce.  If we focus on values common to humanity rather than just on our own individual and national interests, we may very well end up intentionally changing the direction of history.