This course portrayed China from an entirely new perspective as far as the nation’s role in the global economy is concerned. China, having gradually taken control of its own internal challenges like population explosion and resource mobilization to sustain its agrarian economy that continued to confront its economic growth, is currently a globally emerging economy. Currently, China is helping to revive the world economy as a whole. Apart from the Great Wall of China that has been protecting the Chinese from the invaders for the past 2,000 years, China has got its own digital or fire wall that is continuously defending the country from the invasion of its own values (Anti, 2012). This course helped me to understand my country deeply. Hard working population and persistence of the leaders to follow their own conscience rather than following others without judgment has made China what the country is today. The three main concepts that helped me to develop through this course are: unlike my earlier perception of judging China as a failure during the past two centuries, the country was determinedly growing into a matured global economy; secondly, China has learnt how to effectively borrow ideas from the West; thirdly, in spite of its phenomenal economic growth in the global arena over the past few decades, China is challenged by its own internal problems like pollution and environmental degradation.
In fact, China had to patiently march for so many years to reach its current economic power and wealth. I take several inspirations from this determined effort of the country. China endured defeat in the hands of imperialistic powers during the nineteenth century. The country also witnessed poverty of its masses while undergoing ignominy in the hands of several foreign powers during the past two centuries. Even as its western counterparts experimented on several governmental systems and political philosophies to create extraordinary economic strength, Chinese reformers did not dare to test even a single idea. Chinese leaders slowly refined their cultural, intellectual, economic and political ideologies to achieve economic strength (Schell and Delury, 2013). This has totally changed my perception about becoming successful both personally and professionally. Self awareness and continuous effort without compromising on one’s personal values would bring success in professional and personal life.
China ensured its economic revival by integrating certain foreign ideas with its own political strategies. For instance, to preserve its own rich heritage, the recent governments built a strong military besides consolidating the national defense. Even as the country has accepted certain foreign ideas, China still maintains its original Chinese way of being socialistic (Schell and Delury, 2013). This concept is quite striking to me. I have understood the importance of sustaining one’s original values and characteristics even while influenced by the ideas of others. I would make it a point to maintain my original values while taking in the ideas of others for my personal growth.
The shock waves created by an awakened China is being felt across the globe even as no one can predict how long China’s dominance would sustain (Kynge, 2007). In the light of China’s extraordinary economic growth continuously leading its factories to pollute the earth, China is currently listed as the second top polluting nation in the world. This is the price China has to pay for ruling the world with its products and technology during the recent years. I realize that every achievement in the world, both in one’s personal as well as professional life, requires a price. The price could be one’s hard work and willingness to forego certain short term benefits with the hope of enjoying long term gains. This also reminds me that success at the cost of blinding one’s own eyes is of no use.
In brief, this course has helped me to inculcate certain basic values that can be learned from others but cannot be compromised under any circumstance for ensuring my personal and professional growth.
References
Anti, M. (2012). Behind the great firewall of China. TED. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/ talks/michael_anti_behind_the_great_firewall_of_china/transcript?language=en
Kynge, J. (2007). China Shakes the World: A Titan's Rise and Troubled Future -- and the Challenge for America. New York: Mariner Books.
Schell, O., and Delury, J. (2013). Wealth and Power: China's Long March to the Twenty-first Century. New York: Random House
