July 6, 2010

  Gamamusa gathered the students in the warehouse again for a practical session. While the previous session introduced his invention, this one focused on hands-on use. He started the digestion engine, feeding it grass, amylase, and water. “This device physically shreds grass for digestion. Chemical digestion is also needed, but we haven’t secured the right microbes for a full experiment.” The partially digested grass flowed into a plastic container below, resembling thick green juice with a pungent grassy stench.

  The students moved the container aside. At a stack of plastic bins, Gamamusa poured a digestive solution mixed with water and microbial samples into one. A fermenting odor rose from the green mass, nauseating the students, and he sealed the bin. “…While the grass ferments, let’s continue our last discussion on competition and invention.” He pulled a small whiteboard from his bag, writing Two Causes of the Industrial Revolution and showing it to the students.

  “The Industrial Revolution had two causes: a relative one and an absolute one. The relative cause is food self-sufficiency; the absolute cause is competition.” As the students nodded, Jung Sun-beom raised his hand. “…So, the absolute cause of the Industrial Revolution is inventions driven by competition?” Gamamusa nodded. “In the modern world, Europe, the U.S., and Northeast Asia, with high food self-sufficiency, industrialized faster and grew wealthier. But they merely benefited more from the Industrial Revolution. The true cause is competition.” He drew maps of Europe and China on the whiteboard.

  “Europe developed through competition. Gunpowder and compass technology from China evolved into muskets and navigation, leading to Spain’s New World conquests and Asian trade routes in the early 15th century. Columbus pitched his voyage to Portugal, England, and Italy but was rejected. Spain’s investment led to the discovery of a new continent, sparking European competition for conquest. Conversely, China, lacking rivals, didn’t pursue new trade routes or conquests despite Zheng He’s expeditions reaching Africa and trading sea cucumbers in Australia. Mongolia, Korea, and Japan occasionally grew strong, but only temporarily. Without a continental rival like the U.S., China stalled competition.”

  Gamamusa erased the board and began listing per capita GDP by continent and year. “Per capita GDP reflects the economic value one person produces—food, goods, services. The Industrial Revolution boosted agriculture and food production, but since populations grow with food supply, it’s futile. Industry, however, is different.” He drew a human and a machine. “Humans are limited, producing one unit daily. Machines, with human aid, can produce 100 units. Thus, per capita GDP rises with machines.” He drew one item next to the human and dozens next to the machine.

  “By machines, I mean steam engines, diesel engines, or factory furnaces— inventions that boost productivity. These emerged in competitive Europe and the U.S.” He pointed to a GDP chart. “Until 1000 CE, Western Europe, India, and China had similar per capita GDPs: India and China at $450, Western Europe at $427. By the 1500s, when Europe discovered the New World, China hit $600, India $550, and Western Europe $770. For 500 years, China and India’s GDPs stagnated, but Western Europe’s rose: $1,200 after the First Industrial Revolution (1820s), $1,960 after the Second (1870), $3,400 post-WWI (1913), and $4,500 post-WWII (1950). India and China hit $619 and $448 in the 1950s, broke $800 in the 1970s, $1,000 in 1989, and reached $6,000 and $3,000 by 2008. Western Europe surpassed $20,000, but India and China, isolated in Asia with a single superpower dominating, didn’t compete for 1,950 years until the Cold War.”

  He erased the board and wrote Third Industrial Revolution. “The First Industrial Revolution started in Britain, the Second in the U.S., driven by colonial competition and high food self-sufficiency. The Third was different, fueled by the U.S.-Soviet rivalry despite the Soviets’ low food self-sufficiency. After the Soviet collapse, the U.S. became a global superpower, like ancient India and China, halting space and AI races. But China’s rise forced renewed competition.”

  He wrote Reduction of Absolute Slavery. “You’ve heard the number of slaves shipped from Africa to the Americas rivals modern slavery. That’s true, but back then, slave numbers were massive. About 125,000 slaves landed 600,000 in the U.S. and 3.5 million in Brazil. By the 1850s, the U.S. had 3 million, Brazil 17 million—20 million total. With a global population of 1.5 billion then, 6.8billion now, scaled 4.5 fold, that’s 80 million people on ratio today in just those two countries. Farm and industrial machines reduced human labor, reshaping industry. In the 1850s, 80% of China’s population farmed; now, it’s 20%.” The students marveled. Jung Sun-beom tilted his head. “…If you’re right, didn’t Western society help advance the world?”

  Gamamusa stroked his chin. “…You could think that. Let me ask: China’s now competing with the U.S. in space, soon in AI, and advancing factories, boosting both nations’ GDPs. This stems from their rivalry. Should the U.S. thank China for being a competitor?” The students shook their heads. Gamamusa smiled, intrigued. “…Exactly. You don’t thank rivals. China and India’s industrial revolutions weren’t gifts from the West or Soviets. Just as the West built on China’s gunpowder and compass, China and India adopted and advanced Western tech to survive Cold War competition. Progress isn’t given—it’s seized.”

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