By Nirmal P. Acharya
In today’s world, conflicts are breaking out everywhere. There is an observation that regards wars as manifestations of the clash of civilizations. One viewpoint divides civilizations into Western and Eastern ones, and further claims that Western civilization is a predatory one while Eastern civilization is a productive one.
The assertion that “Western civilization is a predatory civilization” is mainly based on a profound critique of the modern colonialist history of the West. Its core argument lies in the fact that during the process of achieving its own modernization and global dominance, Western countries carried out large-scale and long-term exploitation and oppression of other regions of the world (particularly the Americas, Africa, and Asia) through means such as colonial expansion, territorial occupation, resource plundering, slave trade, forced labor, unequal trade, cultural suppression, and systematic violence. Their wealth accumulation and power base were largely built on this “predatory” basis. This historical legacy profoundly shaped the current global political and economic inequality pattern.
To understand this viewpoint, it needs to be placed in a specific historical context, while also recognizing the complexity and historical evolution of Western civilization, as well as the diversity of the histories of other regions of the world. This is more of a critical historical analytical framework rather than an absolute definition of the essence of Western civilization.
Regarding Eastern civilizations (especially those centered around China as part of the East Asian civilization) as “productive civilizations” is a general viewpoint based on historical observation. This perspective mainly stems from the summary of their historical development models, economic foundations, social structures, and value orientations.
“Production-oriented” does not mean “non-business” or “non-trade”: In East Asian history, commercial and trade activities (such as the Silk Road, maritime trade, and domestic markets) were also very prosperous. What is emphasized here is that its foundation, core driving force, and dominant value orientation are more focused on production activities on the land.
The diversity of Eastern civilization: Within East Asia (China, Japan, the Korean Peninsula, Vietnam, etc.) there are also differences. For example, during the Tokugawa Shogunate period, commercial development in Japan was relatively advanced, but its social foundation remained agricultural. The commercialization degree of different dynasties in China (such as the Song and Ming dynasties) also fluctuated greatly. However, in general, the characteristics of being based on agriculture, emphasizing production accumulation, and valuing diligence, thrift, and material accumulation are the mainstream and long-term ones.
Dynamic changes: This “production-oriented” feature underwent significant changes after being impacted by Western industrial civilization in modern times. All East Asian countries have undergone profound transformations.
Therefore, characterizing Eastern civilization as a “production-oriented civilization” is mainly based on its significant and long-standing characteristics over thousands of years of history, such as having a farming-based economy as the economic foundation, relying on a large labor force and land investment, technological development serving production practice, social values emphasizing diligence, thrift, and material accumulation, and national governance centered around maintaining agricultural production order. This is an important perspective for understanding its historical development logic, social structure, and cultural psychology.
Nepal undoubtedly belongs to the Eastern Civilization Sphere. Throughout its long history, it has created its own unique and splendid civilization, which can be regarded as a brilliant pearl of Eastern civilization. How to survive and develop in the current situation where Eastern and Western civilizations are in intense collision is a historical issue that we must confront.
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