People's Century p16 1951 Asia Rising

**The Lawspeaker** · 06-19-2014, 04:31 PM

People's Century p16 1951 Asia Rising

How thrift and hard work brought Japan and South Korea from rags to riches. Watch and learn.

**zhaoyun** · 06-19-2014, 04:33 PM

Mainland China is undergoing the exact same process that the developed East Asian countries underwent in the 50s to 80s.

**The Lawspeaker** · 06-19-2014, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by zhaoyun

Mainland China is undergoing the exact same process that the developed East Asian countries underwent in the 50s to 80s.

Exactly. I like the sheer ruthlessness of General Park Chung-hee. As the program says: when the work fell behind standards he had it blown up. I like the sound of that. No nonsense.

**zhaoyun** · 06-19-2014, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by The Lawspeaker

Exactly. I like the sheer ruthlessness of General Park Chung-hee. As the program says: when the work fell behind standards he had it blown up. I like the sound of that. No nonsense.

People usually have a very poor understanding of history. Just 40 years ago, South Korea was a dirt poor, 3rd world country, but its people were industrious, did not complain, and just focused on working hard, as well as maintaining a strong national spirit and a desire to see their country stand tall amongst the world's nations. Koreans then were just seen as another face of the third world, poor, weak, miserable, now they have one of the most advanced nations in the world, a leader in any high tech industries and their people are seen as attractive, intelligent and wealthy due to their pop culture. It's really a night and day difference, and all due to their hard work in transforming their realities.

**The Lawspeaker** · 06-19-2014, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by zhaoyun

People usually have a very poor understanding of history. Just 40 years ago, South Korea was a dirt poor, 3rd world country, but its people were industrious, did not complain, and just focused on working hard, as well as maintaining a strong national spirit and a desire to see their country stand tall amongst the world's nations. Koreans then were just seen as another face of the third world, poor, weak, miserable, now they have one of the most advanced nations in the world, a leader in any high tech industries and their people are seen as attractive, intelligent and wealthy due to their pop culture. It's really a night and day difference, and all due to their hard work in transforming their realities.

The Philippines can do the same thing: they just need to get their act together. What do you think Western Europe was like in 1945 ? A ruin. What was Western Europe in 1960 ? The wealthiest place on the world right behind America.

**Theron** · 06-19-2014, 04:52 PM

China has grown at the highest level of economic growth over such a sustained period of time in human history. Their economy will overtake the U.S's in just a few years in size. I hope that this growth will translate into success for the average person there. That's not to say it hasn't already - since 1979 when agricultural controls were lifted millions have been lifted out of complete poverty from those Maoists.

I've worked with some Chinese in business and their approach on business ethics and the like really fascinated me. They're an interesting and intelligent people and I think with the right leadership and approach they will be the story of this century.

I'm thinking aloud here, but I wonder how power will be transferred from the technocrats and military who currently run affairs to the people. And on that note, whether such a transferring would be beneficial or harmful for the time being. I'm sure Zhaoyun has an answer

**zhaoyun** · 06-19-2014, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by The Lawspeaker

The Philippines can do the same thing: they just need to get their act together. What do you think Western Europe was like in 1945 ? A ruin. What was Western Europe in 1960 ? The wealthiest place on the world right behind America.

Well, Western Europe was in ruins because of the war, but it had a very strong cultural framework with rich human resources, populations with a very high per capita living standard (prior to the war) and education levels, so it rebuilt itself right away.

Yes, the Philippines does have the resources to eventually be a great power (in size, its almost the same size as Japan), what is missing is the culture. Like I've said many times before, if China had colonized the Philippines or made the Filipinos adopt the Confucian cultural framework, the Philippines would rank with Japan today as a great power. I think with its current culture, it won't be able to become a major power anytime soon.

**The Lawspeaker** · 06-19-2014, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by zhaoyun

Well, Western Europe was in ruins because of the war, but it had a very strong cultural framework with rich human resources, populations with a very high per capita living standard (prior to the war) and education levels, so it rebuilt itself right away.

Yes, the Philippines does have the resources to eventually be a great power (in size, its almost the same size as Japan), what is missing is the culture. Like I've said many times before, if China had colonized the Philippines or made the Filipinos adopt the Confucian cultural framework, the Philippines would rank with Japan today as a great power. I think with its current culture, it won't be able to become a major power anytime soon.

I'm afraid they will continue to lag behind for the foreseeable future as everything is turned against them: their culture, their economic system, their laws, their political system and the fact that they would much rather run abroad then to pull up their sleeves and get to work. But: even daddy Spain has outstripped them and they have much the same baggage.