Re: SARS Discussion ...

Thanks to Jonathan Keough and the others for their replies to my

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Responding to their pts: Very good! Looking at historical plagues and pandemics is a very good idea (esp. reg. Black Death). Still this example itself may not be the best one. The problem? If we follow AGF’s line of reasoning, Asia didn’t lose prominence and Europe didn’t achieve world systemic hegemony on the global stage until the 19^th/early 20^th centuries. We have, therefore, a few hundred years before the “West’s” Rise. The Plague didn’t put a dent in the European advance because that actual [as opposed to potentializing] advance didn’t take place in full until the later time period. Hence, what we need to consider is whether any particular World Empires (pre-1500) faced major crises of this sort before their advance to “world” systems hegemony on the Afro-Eurasian stage.

Is there anything in the historical record to indicate this, either reg, the Roman Empire, the Han Dynasty, Indian imperial dynasties, or earlier world empires of more ancient world? Or, perhaps the empire of the Mongols holds the key to this question?

But, if none of these examples (or others) will do – then we must ask ourselves a very impt, question. Are we now in a new, world historic game-plan, because if we all, then all “bets” – in this case about Asia’s re-emergence – are off. “Free action” in the overall “Eonic” world historical stream and sequence (to site John Landon’s model) of human events – ala the Eonic Shard, fast action periods, and turning points – may have to some extent derailed the long cyclical ascension of Asia to hegemony from its track.

System-turnoff (i.e, completion of the third turning pt., pre 20^th century) and the idea that we may have to some extent “exited from history” [ala a “Postmodern”, or some other such, age] provides the occasion of complete system re-scripting and “re-boot”/”re-writing” to take place through free human agency.

If that’s so, then Asia’s rising again could be cancelled out and a new pattern of trajectories established. China’s re-emergence may now be a “dud”, replaced by a new widespread “crisis” on the World Systemic playground. Just a thought, and perhaps not a particularly good one, but I think it helps to explain what we may be witnessing now (even in its infancy as a new historical trend). Your comments? … (Luke R.)