FILE PHOTO: An electronic display showing the China GDP indexes is seen on a street in Shanghai, China October 16, 2021. Picture taken October 16, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo
THE ALMIGHTY GOD, CHINA’S ECONOMY AND COVID-19 The world wide alarm that has been generated by COVID-19 has again brought to the fore the issues concerning China and her economic achievement. When Max Weber (1864-1920) made a comparison between Europe’s industrial revolution and the China’s economic backwardness in the 19th century, the German sociologist blamed China’s failure to adopt Calvinist religious doctrine as a problem that constitute an obstacle to her economic well-being. Simply put, the Calvinist believed that your otherworldly acceptance depends upon the ability to excel in your calling and thereby accumulate a lot of material wealth on the earth. However, the material acquisition should not be used extravagantly but the owner should live FRUGALLY without giving the impression that he has arrived! It is the adoption of this way of thinking that fuelled INDUSTRIAL CAPITALISM in Europe since necessary funds could easily be obtained as capital from the savings generated within the European economy. Conversely, the lack of this way of thinking and the accompanying LIFESTYLE explained the relative economic backwardness of China and Continental India. Although the respected scholar was not alive to witness the economic magic achieved by China in recent times-in the absence of the Calvinist doctrine he emphasized – , it is still germane to say that technological advancement without the necessary discipline and attitudinal disposition cannot but spell doom for any nation. And this brings us to the question of CORONA VIRUS that has claimed thousands of lives and have forced billions on UNUSUAL VACATION! In fact, nations, organizations and individuals are already counting their losses not because of any nuclear war but because of a tiny INVISIBLE VIRUS activated by inability to obey the LAWS OF NATURE. Essentially, therefore, the important lesson for the world community is simply to realize that the ALMIGHTY GOD has not created the world in which HE WOULD NOT BE NEEDED. Period!
