#SUNBURST: Is the present world order at dead end? (2)
Money has evolved through five various stages over the last 6000 years.
From the the ancient trade by barter system called commodity money to the era of coinage called metallic money, to the present day paper money, credit money (cheques) and plastic money (Credit/Debit card).
In the Part 1 of this article, I discussed the principle of rise and and how it affects us. My book: THE SPARKS (New Beginning) offers more insight into the origin of rise and fall. There are three phases of a cycle: rise, peak and fall. Energy required to take off and rise high is huge, demanding and consistent. At the peak, the energy stabilizes relatively, and maintains a specific pattern untill it begins to lose momentum and power of sustainability. Then the falling begins. Even in our individual personal lives these phases manifest.
The rise of every stage/cycle is usually powered by desire for change, enthusiasm and innovation that lead to widespread acceptance, sprouting its roots and branches to become the acceptable standards. Each stage is later overpowered by new challenges demanding new solution, thereby leading to the decline of that particular stage and the rise of another.
Currently, as more businesses and social activities happen in a virtually boundless space online, it is obvious that world is set for next stage of evolution of money. Digital money!
However, future of digital money is hugely dependent on which civilization emerges strongest, after looming ruthless confrontations.
For the first time in modern history, eight powerful civilizations are competing for global dominance: Western/Christian, Russia/Orthodox, Chinese, India/Hindu, Arab/Sunni Islam, Iran/Persian/Shiite Islam, Isreal/Jewish and Turks/Islam civilizations.
Civilization in this context is a group of human societies with related ancestry, cultural and religious ties, common social norms, industry and government.
Caroll Quigley identifies seven stages of historical change for all civilizations, they are: mixture, gestation, expansion, conflict, universal empire, decay, and invasion. The first four are linked with the rise of a civilization while the last two represent the fall. The fifth which is universal empire is the peak and dream of every civilization.
All of the mentioned civilizations execpt the Jewish whom had no physical territory of their own then, yet ubiquitous across Europe were at the expansion stage, until the 15th century discovery of advanced navigation systems in Europe opened opportunities for Western/Christian civilization to explore and eventually conquer the world, instituting authority and order, navigating the world in their desired direction at the envy and admiration of the vanquished and rival civilizations.
However, agitations, protests and resistance are ratcheting up among the vanquished civilizations whom haven’t given up the dream of attaining universal empire status. Of course, going by the body language of their political leaders, the return of Ottoman empire is an irresistible dream of the Turks.
Meanwhile, the global ruling empire: the western civilization is believed to be at the decay stage and must rejig its archtecture in order to reassert its global authority or risk dethronment.
Significantly, the process of rising or falling comes with displacements, conflict, chaos and instability. Certainly, the world is set for a showdown. Can humanity survive this era of formidable superpowers at the crossroads?
May Lights Shine On Our Paths
EoR
(#SUNBURST is exclusive thoughts of EoR published every Saturday)
