Pomeranz's Argument Essay

First I analyse Pomeranz opinion, he is looking from a new perspective, matching a Chinese region to a European and comparing the living standards. According to him Europe first experienced the Smithian growth because the economy needed more supplies of food, workforce, and goods (Stokes pp523). He does not believe the development come from internal causes. He thinks China hunger for silver and the European elites’ greed for silk and porcelain urged the economic growth. He agrees than Europe expanded its power over the world, it would not happen without the greed for wealth. There is more behind it, the greediness is giving the peculiarity of Europe, it is the main motivator of all the inventions in Europe, also its huge failure. However, with

For example their application of Latin (Printing press, 16 ) just to contain knowledge for higher classes while Chinese were attempting to unify the nation with a standard language (one of the essay). On the contrary, Europeans were capable to tyrannize even better the lower social classes. Undereducated people were easier to control and following orders. Higher classes were strengthening the states with the constant wars for power and wealth. It is important to mention, how was the Church involved in the process of state building, because Weber (Weber)suggests the reforms remodelled the people’s mind set to be realistic. Also, the new ideologies supplanted the Catholic Church from hegemony but religion was still an important asset. Step by step, government secured property rights for citizens, and encouraged trade and industrial development. Finally, increased control over taxation and the government was carefully monitoring the expenses. This way the governments more effectively controlled trade and financing the militaries and growing the country’s territories ( Dincecco). However, the economy was constantly growing and the countries increased their capital by reserving gold and silver. It is the point where Pomeranz (Pomeranz) is right about the Atlantic trading system supported Europe to evasion the Malthusian trap but he underestimates the role of the states. The British consciously applied