Termin:
25.01.2006
18:15
Catching up with world leaders. How the experience of
continental Europe in the XIX-XX century differed from
the present Asian challenge
Vera Negri Zamagni (Bologna)
As Alexander Gerschenkron has theorized, the process of imitation of the British Industrial Revolution taking place in the 19th-20th centuries in Continental Europe, the USA and Japan showed a wealth of different versions, that can be placed within a unified framework. The second wave of imitation of the world leader came after the second world war and this time USA was the model to be adopted. But it was not until the end of the 20th century that imitation could effectively go beyond Europe and Japan (and a few other small nations) to attract two enormous areas like India and China. There are two basic differences in the present process of imitation compared with the previous one: International regime (protection versus free trade) and cultural values. If differences exist already in the first stage of diffusion of the industrial revolution, they are bound to become even more pronounced in this second stage. How to govern such differences is the challenge of the 21st century.
Moderator:
Erich W. Streissler (ÖAW, Uni Wien)
Veranstalter:
Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (ÖAW) und Industriellenvereinigung Wien
Büro für Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften
Dr. Ignaz Seipel-Platz 2, A-1010 Wien
T +43 (1) 51581-1219
F +43 (1) 51581-1227

