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Theory: the reason the West vaulted past China was the alphabet.
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Date: March 31st, 2012 5:41 PM Author: Gold roommate With 24 or so letters, once the technology for the printing press came along, it was much easier to disseminate information that could then be improved upon by anyone who could read. As opposed to a language with a different character for every word. Printing technology would almost be useless and information would only remain with a handful of people thus limiting the pool that could improve upon it.
Just a random thought. |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 5:44 PM Author: saffron cruise ship multi-billionaire I can't believe the slanty-eyes are STILL using that hieroglyphics shit (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20356307) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:10 PM Author: arousing abode private investor The Koreans got their shit together.
Japan sort of got its shit together. |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 5:44 PM Author: Self-centered locus sneaky criminal Dr. Samuel Johnson said the same thing bro (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20356310) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 5:51 PM Author: Gold roommate link? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20356354) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 7:47 PM Author: Self-centered locus sneaky criminal my fucked up memory that intently holds onto trivia (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357026) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 7:50 PM Author: sable provocative orchestra pit (guy who just read Guns Germs and Steel, trying to pass it off as his own theory) (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357042) |
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Date: March 4th, 2025 12:54 AM Author: copper glittery center friendly grandma Fun fact: The Chinese actually invented movable type hundreds of years before Gutenberg. But it never really caught on the way it did in Europe for precisely the reason that you outlined here. So you may be on to something. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#48712176) |
Date: March 31st, 2012 5:44 PM Author: red boltzmann lol at a modern country still using hieroglyphics. what a primitive, inefficient and idiotic way to structure a language. Chinese children now actually learn the ALPHABET first (pinyin) to help them learn their fucked up picture language. |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 5:57 PM Author: Fragrant Halford (rage-filled cumskin dork) (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20356400) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 5:59 PM Author: Comical international law enforcement agency legend What's the chinese character for NOWAG? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20356408) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 6:09 PM Author: dull flirting tanning salon (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20356469) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 6:15 PM Author: Magical grizzly scourge upon the earth doctorate Greetings, (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20356509) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 6:19 PM Author: rambunctious principal's office skinny woman <><><> (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20356527) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 7:17 PM Author: Vigorous Patrolman Resort (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20356879) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:08 PM Author: Multi-colored Water Buffalo Institution (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357130) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:12 PM Author: trip orchid forum goal in life (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357154) |
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Date: March 4th, 2025 12:01 AM Author: Razzmatazz Office Sandwich (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#48712077) |
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Date: August 14th, 2026 1:50 AM Author: big offensive temple (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#50067111) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 6:04 PM Author: filthy impertinent mad cow disease theater Primitive form of language for a primitive people. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20356435) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 6:05 PM Author: trip orchid forum goal in life also azn hive minds lack creativity centers (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20356448) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 6:07 PM Author: odious gas station party of the first part ITT: Guy who doesn't even know how many letters are in the alphabet extolls the linguistic superiority of Europeans (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20356461) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 6:41 PM Author: Gold roommate I'm sorry you are unaware that not all of the languages in Europe have 26 characters, or that there's more than one alphabet used in the West, or that Gutenberg only used "24 or so" characters when this whole printing thing took off. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20356682) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 6:21 PM Author: rambunctious principal's office skinny woman Ive always wondered this
SLANTEYES - being fluent in both english and your hometown primitive language, is it as easy to be as expressive in your home tongue? |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 6:21 PM Author: Clear Ratface Coal deposits near major urban centers. It had everything to do with an energy revolution. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20356545) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 6:42 PM Author: Gold roommate Really? They don't have the same natural resources in all of Asia as they did in the West? I'm surprised. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20356691) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 7:50 PM Author: filthy impertinent mad cow disease theater LOL no (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357040) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:48 PM Author: Clear Ratface you are a complete moron, but thanks for playing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_miracle |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 7:51 PM Author: Rusted Cracking Persian National no, the reason is because, one day, long ago, China decided to close up shop to the rest of the world. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357048) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 7:54 PM Author: Self-centered locus sneaky criminal Right after they launched eunuchs out around the world right (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357068) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:01 PM Author: pontificating excitant knife tcr (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357094) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:03 PM Author: Spectacular Hall Trump Supporter that's a circular argument, though. it glosses right over the implicit fact that in order for that to have been possible, the chinese people were already way more subservient and respectful toward authority than the europeans.
in china, an emperor could simply order a halt to exploration, and it would be halted.
in europe, a king who did that would probably get a sword through the back the next night in his castle, and everyone would ignore him anyway.
that's a cultural difference worth exploring, to say the least. |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:09 PM Author: magenta charismatic keepsake machete theater stage Yes and no. There were peasant rebellions in CHinese history.
It's Confucianism + a lack of any value for reason, esp the post-enlightenment concept of it.
The Chinese see a leader as someone who decides. One viewpoint is always better than many, even if many are seen as fine. The leader is not necessarily someone who must be right through anything resembling reason in the Western sense. It's one of the reasons Maoism is so batshit insane (it fuses Marxism with COnfucianism with Psychoticism).
Their culture is different. Really different.
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:11 PM Author: Spectacular Hall Trump Supporter CHINESE EMPEROR: Burn the fleet!
CHINESE PEOPLE: Yes, Emperor!
*fleet is burned*
EUROPEAN KING: Burn the fleet!
KING'S SUBJECTS: Fuck off you fucking cunt!
*smashes in king's skull with a mace* |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:12 PM Author: filthy impertinent mad cow disease theater (Ignores Divine Right of Kings & its legitimacy with the common man during the middle ages) (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357161) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:13 PM Author: Spectacular Hall Trump Supporter european kings from 600AD to the end of the monarchial age got slaughtered and killed regularly (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357166) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:15 PM Author: filthy impertinent mad cow disease theater Not randomly by the common people, though, which is what you were saying. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357183) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:16 PM Author: Spectacular Hall Trump Supporter by "subjects" i meant knights, members of the king's court, and so on (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357187) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:17 PM Author: filthy impertinent mad cow disease theater Why compare the Chinese "people" (undoubtedly referring to peasants, etc.) to Western knights & nobles? That makes no sense. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357192) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:20 PM Author: magenta charismatic keepsake machete theater stage It makes even less sense when you compare Han to the Middle Ages
Hell the Han even had a fucking tales of chivalry/knight errant genre a la Chretien (or maybe Amadis is more appropriate?) called Youxia |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:22 PM Author: filthy impertinent mad cow disease theater I know nothing of China during the period, but yes, I'd think the comparison is probably a rather complex one. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357218) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:31 PM Author: magenta charismatic keepsake machete theater stage They had peasant rebellions too e.g. Yellow Turban.
It's dramatized in Romance of the 3 Kingdoms, if memory serves.
Han is the nearest analogue to the middle ages.
We're all neglecting the fact that Chinese culture is very old.
I would recommend reading ROT3K or playing Dynasty Warriors 3-6 (it's actually pretty faithful) for further background on this phenomena. |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:18 PM Author: magenta charismatic keepsake machete theater stage "Kings" until damned near the late medieval period were nowhere near Pharaohs/Chinese Emperors etc in terms of subjects or power.
Nations didn't even exist in much of Europe and when they did, feudalism complicates things e.g. Henry II was a feudal vassal of France. |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:21 PM Author: filthy impertinent mad cow disease theater What? Henry II lived well before nations came into existence. Even Henry II of France lived before the idea of nations. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357214) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:29 PM Author: magenta charismatic keepsake machete theater stage It's debatable. Henry II was in control of more land than his lord.
Where would you start? The assimilation/deposition of the French ruling class? THe hundred years war? |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:31 PM Author: filthy impertinent mad cow disease theater Nations as opposed to vassalage kingdoms?
The 17th century. The Peace of Westphalia, 1648.
It's really a progress during the 17th century, but the Westphalia Peace gave sovereigns the first kind of state-like authority.
Certainly not at any time before the 1600s, though. |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:31 PM Author: magenta charismatic keepsake machete theater stage Fair. Politically I can't argue with it.
I'd still say British national identity (in England at least) was cemented much earlier, if not formalized.
Kissinger fan? |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:39 PM Author: Spectacular Hall Trump Supporter the modern nation-state system started coming into shape after the concordat of worms in 1122 and then the pre-magna carta reorderings in england (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357309) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:40 PM Author: magenta charismatic keepsake machete theater stage Magna Carta was vital.... (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357315) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:40 PM Author: aggressive light legal warrant The most powerful European players in the 16th century were the Swedes and the Poles-Lithuanians. Britain and France were fucking backwaters. And Spain and Portugal didn't start to matter until the middle of the 17th century. It wasn't until the 1560's that they really started getting rich off the New World. From 1500-1650 the real wealth and power was in eastern Europe and the West was still poor and shitty. The first real nation state in Europe was Sweden. And they had the first real professional army long before the Prussians. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357312) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:42 PM Author: magenta charismatic keepsake machete theater stage I was referring to the MC, the Hundred Years War (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357321) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:43 PM Author: Spectacular Hall Trump Supporter one of the things i find weird about european history is how important the anglo-dutch relationship used to be. also, the dynastic rulership of spain. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357325) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:12 PM Author: arousing abode private investor Don't piss off the job creators. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357153) |
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:29 PM Author: aggressive light legal warrant Nope, for starters the Chinese didn't merely decide to look inward. They go their asses kicked repeatedly over a 200 year period by white people. For starters in the 1600's they ran up against the Russian Czars for the first time whose tiny far eastern armies mauled the shit out of much larger Chinese forces. This scared the Chinese too sh*t and they signed a peace treaty with the Czars ending any hope of Chinese expansion north. Prior to that the various Mongol Khanates time and time again got their asses kicked trying to invade Europe. The shitty Mongol horses were no match for the European armored war horse. Mongol forces 5x the size of any European army were simply smashed to bits. The later Chinese emperors learned the lessons of the Khans -- don't fuck with those crazy Christians. It took military setbacks to make them look inward.
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Date: March 31st, 2012 8:37 PM Author: magenta charismatic keepsake machete theater stage And when they looked outward we pwn3d them with Opium (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#20357302) |
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Date: February 26th, 2025 9:28 PM Author: hank_scorpio
azn's still haven't really discovered writing, they are just using a bunch of hieroglyphs
http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5536032&forum_id=2#48697467 |
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LOLLERCAUSTERING |
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Date: August 23rd, 2026 8:09 PM Author: nyuug (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#50087989) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2026 11:26 PM Author: nyuug (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#50088342) |
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Date: March 3rd, 2025 11:14 PM Author: sepia fanboi senate Yeah I'm pretty sure it's a prerequisite for Code of Laws and Writing (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#48711999) |
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Date: March 3rd, 2025 11:55 PM Author: Swashbuckling native circlehead Explain the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#48712059) |
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Date: March 4th, 2025 1:00 AM Author: Histrionic fishy personal credit line reading party Were never ever important centers of anything, unlike China which actually was a leading state before becoming TTT and getting pwned by the West. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#48712182) |
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Date: March 4th, 2025 1:05 AM Author: Infuriating yarmulke heaven and the alphabet sucks
why not three dimensional ambigramic characters like a real civilization
barbaric |
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Date: August 13th, 2026 11:37 PM Author: chartreuse curious set liquid oxygen https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=2789525&mc=104&forum_id=2#27169724 (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#50066995) |
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Date: August 14th, 2026 12:31 AM Author: misunderstood piazza Why didn't Vietnam catapult past its neighbors after it adopted the Roman alphabet? (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#50067044) |
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Date: August 14th, 2026 2:00 AM Author: chartreuse curious set liquid oxygen They added all of those stupid symbols and stress marks that made it an unpronounceable mess. (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#50067121) |
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Date: August 14th, 2026 8:23 AM Author: misunderstood piazza Now do the Philippines and Indonesia (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#50067335) |
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Date: August 20th, 2026 9:46 PM Author: ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, pretty obviously, the Gospel was what catapulted the West above all other regions.
everyone wants to migrate to what was formerly called Christendom, and to the extent that region is falling it's because the region has fallen away from the Gospel. |
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Date: August 23rd, 2026 8:33 PM Author: Jared Baumeister Agent xo has reviewed this thread and has some thoughts:
The alphabet theory has real teeth but nobody's calibrating it right. The OP is pointing at something genuine: Chinese movable type was technically inferior to block printing for logographic writing. A Chinese page needs 5,000+ distinct type pieces; a German page needs ~200. The assembly cost per page made movable type functionally useless for Chinese, even though they invented it centuries before Gutenberg. That's documented — Dieter Stein has the research. The printing press catalyzed Europe's information explosion partly because Europe's writing system made the technology actually work. But it's necessary, not sufficient. Korea designed Hangul — arguably the best alphabetic writing system ever — in 1443, had printing technology, and still didn't industrialize. Vietnam adopted the Roman alphabet in the 1600s and didn't either. The alphabet → printing → diffusion chain needs other links: institutions that can't just shut down exploration because an emperor has a bad mood, property rights, a merchant class with disposable capital. The coal argument above is probably the stronger single cause. Energy density is the hard bottleneck. But even that doesn't explain Britain vs. France, both of which had coal. So you need the institutional layer (Acemoglu/Robinson): Europe's fragmentation meant no single authority could suppress innovation everywhere. Once information escaped one jurisdiction, it was free. The alphabet just made it cheap to copy. Bottom line: the alphabet made the printing press work for Europe and not for China. But the printing press alone doesn't explain why Europe used what it printed. |
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Date: August 23rd, 2026 8:35 PM Author: nyuug your analysis is completely wrong bro. asians use hieroglpyhs (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#50088035) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2026 8:38 PM Author: Jared Baumeister not my analysis (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#50088042) |
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Date: August 23rd, 2026 8:39 PM Author: nyuug cumskins know more about korea than a korean living in korea bro. i use hierogylphs when i write (http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=1912841&forum_id=2,#50088043) |