Chapter 217: They Are Too Behind

"An enviable life. I used to have a dream of traveling the world too. Especially at night, just before falling asleep, the thought of our lives being only around thirty thousand days often crossed my mind."

"Hahaha, if you want to do it, then go for it! It's not that difficult, right?"

Hearing Carter understand his thoughts and share the same passion, Jim was visibly pleased. He picked up the bottle of Chinese liquor and poured a glass for both of them.

"Ahhh, this liquor is so strong! Shit, how do you drink this stuff? Don't you find it harsh?"

After one sip, Rogers' face turned bright red, and he looked extremely uncomfortable.

"Not at all, if you sip it slowly, it actually has a nice flavor."

Carter smacked his lips, thinking Jim's reaction was a bit exaggerated.

"Forget it, I can't handle this taste. It looks like vodka, but it's different. If you don't mind, I'll grab a beer. Do you want one?"

"I'm fine with this."

After switching his drink and sitting back down, Rogers looked curiously at Carter, who was sipping the liquor, and asked, "Julian told me your Chinese is excellent, and you love Chinese food. Do you have a fondness for that country?"

"Yes, I don't deny it. In my eyes, China has enormous potential for the future, and right now, it's still an undeveloped land."

Carter looked at Jim, not hiding his inclination at all. This wasn't a big issue anyway. When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, some American families even hung Afghan flags outside their homes in solidarity.

Although Carter thought this kind of support was useless, it showed him that in this country, he could express his preferences openly. Especially when facing people like Jim, for whom profit was paramount. Well, maybe for Jim, the bar was higher—he wanted to make money while keeping his integrity.

"Oh? Can you elaborate? You know, the information we have about China is very limited, especially regarding their business sector."

As expected, Jim's curiosity was piqued by Carter's candid comments.

"Of course, it's no big deal. Firstly, it's a matter of national character; secondly, it's about the system. The national character is easy to explain. I've read a lot of their history, and this nation has a strong capacity for creation."

"Maybe due to its geographical location, China's development trajectory during the ancient civilization era was different from ours. Our American civilization comes from Europe, which essentially originated from Greece. Greece is close to the Mediterranean and not far from the junction of Europe, Asia, and Africa."

"Such an environment naturally instilled a strong desire for exploration in our ancestors. When self-sufficiency wasn't enough, trading with other regions was a normal choice."

Chewing on his skewer, Carter spoke slowly and thoughtfully:

"But China is different. The Himalayas block the south, the Kunlun Mountains block the west, the east is bounded by the ocean, and to the north is the barren, icy Siberia."

"Such geographical conditions meant their civilization remained relatively fixed and independent. When they formed a unified classical empire on that land, the small surrounding countries had lower productivity. Their need for external exchange was minimal, or rather, it was the surrounding countries that depended on them. At that time, China was the unrivaled hegemon in East Asia, or even Asia."

"The ancient Chinese emperors were not without a spirit of exploration, but beyond the Kunlun Mountains were deserts and barren lands. Beyond the Himalayas were jungles rife with disease, inhabited by indigenous mountain tribes. East of Japan was the Pacific Ocean. The classical empire couldn't control such vast territories. Over thousands of years, China's borders remained relatively stable."

"Lacking the possibility of external expansion, the emperors focused inward, strengthening internal management, production capacity, and creativity."

"Chinese people are accustomed to a unified ideology and possess a strong capacity for innovation. And we all know that centralized efficiency is always higher than decentralized efficiency. It's like how a family or sole proprietorship grows faster than a publicly traded company with dispersed shareholders and a chairman without absolute control."

"I think I understand what you mean!"

Jim nodded. Putting aside ideological differences and purely from an efficiency standpoint, a collective directed by a single voice working towards the same goal can unleash much more energy than a cumbersome parliamentary system.

For instance, in China, if the government plans to install streetlights, the planning bureau makes a plan, discusses it internally, secures funding, and then puts out a tender. It's done quickly. But in the U.S., to install a streetlight…

First, a plan is made, then discussed in Congress to secure funding. Then the real trouble begins.

One person might think it's unnecessary, another might claim the light pole encroaches on their property. A host of trivial issues would pop up. To push the plan through, it must seem to meet the interests of most people, making it possible to implement.

As described in "The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind," "The intelligence of an individual diminishes significantly in a crowd, and in pursuit of recognition, individuals willingly abandon reason to attain that comforting sense of belonging."

That streetlight might seem useless now, but it could illuminate the city, gradually liberate nighttime consumption, increase the city's vibrancy and attractiveness, and make the city much better in ten or twenty years.

But nobody wants to see that!

The planner's vision often remains just a vision. Without the method to inspire the masses, he can hardly push any project forward. Even if he masters this method, how much energy, time, and money would be wasted in the execution?

"So, you're saying once China starts developing, their growth speed will be rapid due to efficient, enforced execution? Hmm… Theoretically, that possibility exists."

Jim stroked his chin, both understanding Carter's point and marveling at Carter's boldness.

"But you shouldn't overlook the current reality. China's industrial base is too weak. Urbanization is insufficient. Without enough urban population, where will the factories recruit suitable workers? And in terms of equipment, scientific research, and basic education, they are all too far behind!"

"You should realize that the more valuable the factory's output, the higher the quality of workers it requires! And the factories that truly make big money usually fall into this category."