Ferment in Asia [1950]

One of the few things that seem fairly clear about the near future is that the part played by Asia in the world will be much more important and much more dominant than it has been during the last 400 years. Ever since history began there has been a see-saw between European and Asiatic power. The turn of Asia to 10 dominate came with the rise of Islam. Throughout the seven centuries from 700 to 1400 a.d. noone could have guessed that Europe would become dominant over Asia. The change began with the Age of Discovery, especially with Vasco da Gama and the Cape route to India. While Science and definite knowledge were distinctive of the West, religions have been predominantly Asiatic. When an Asiatic regime has been strong it has derived its strength, as a rule, from religion. Asia is a vast continent, of which the Northern part has long belonged to Russia.