River and rival

A river forms a natural barrier. A river makes it difficult for conquering force to cross, at least in old times. With river, comes rival.

How rivalry affects people’s life? In Europe, there are many small rival countries. In China, it is a huge unified country most of the time. In An Essay on Economic Theory, first published in 1755, Richard Cantillon wrote,

The work of one English embroiderer costs more than that of 10 Chinese embroiderers, though the Chinese embroider much better and turn out more work in a day. In Europe, people are amazed that these people can live by working so cheap and that the wonderful fabrics they send us cost so little. (P 162)

Since ancient China, Chinese workers put out better products at lower prices. China is almost always an exporting country, in old time as well as today. But do Chinese people have better life? “The work of one English embroiderer costs more than that of 10 Chinese embroiderers.” An ordinary Chinese worker has much harsher life than an ordinary European worker. Since the output of an ordinary Chinese worker is higher, the rulers in China have much better life than rulers in Europe, in old time as well as today. In a monopoly without rivals, the rulers enjoy great life while the ordinary people endure harsh life.

Rivers protect rivals. A strait, being wider than a river, protects rivals more. Today, Taiwan still maintains its independence, thanks to the Taiwan Strait. The independence of Taiwan is not only beneficial to the people of Taiwan. It is also beneficial to the majority of Chinese people. The existence of Taiwan pressures the Chinese government to maintain a façade of freedom in China. If Taiwan is gone, the last remnant of freedom in China will be gone.