Evolution of an ecological civilization
Sunnie Wong

With the rapid economic and industrial development, human beings are faced with increasingly serious ecological and environmental crises threatening the existence and survival of the human race. In the face of these crises, the industrial civilization mode that has prevailed globally for centuries is being questioned. Pan Yue, Vice Director of the State Environmental Protection Administration, shares his ideas on a new pattern of civilization—that is, ecological civilization. His main opinions follow:
Civilization is the result of human cultural development and also mankind’s achievement in both material and spiritual fields in the process of a changing world. It is a symbol of social progress.
So far, human civilization has undergone three phases: the primitive civilization, the agricultural civilization and the industrial civilization. The Industrial Revolution in Great Britain in the 18th century opened the era of modern life, which has endured for 300 years. The major part of civilization is man, who changes nature and reflects on what he has done. From this perspective, civilization can be further divided into three groups. The first is material civilization and spiritual civilization. The second is agricultural civilization and the industrial civilization. The third is that different regions can produce different kinds of civilization, such as the African civilization and the Indian civilization. These three groups can all exist simultaneously.
The industrial civilization that began 300 years ago is characterized by mankind’s efforts to conquer nature and the development of global industrialization has pushed the culture based on the conquest of nature to its limit. However, a series of global ecological crises show that the earth can no longer sustain development of this kind and a new pattern of civilization is required for the very existence of humanity—-that is the ecological civilization. Just as the agricultural civilization is called “yellow civilization” and the industrial civilization “black civilization”, the ecological civilization is called “green civilization”. Only when man has changed the law of natural ecology and begun to influence nature can civilization come into being.
Ecological civilization is a kind of cultural ethics that aims at the harmonious coexistence between nature and man, society and man and man and man. This civilization targets a virtuous cycle, overall development and sustainable prosperity. Ecological civilization results from man’s reflection on the material civilization that has been guiding humanity for so long. As natural materials will eventually run out, material wealth is thus limited, which means we need to liberate ourselves from the endless pursuit of material wealth and regard spiritual and cultural life as a more important pursuit. If this civilization succeeds, fundamental changes will take place in the pattern of society.
First is the change in ethic values. According to Western traditional philosophy, mankind is the most valuable part of the world while nature and other forms of life are targets for our domination and therefore have no value. Therefore, morality is only designed for man and there is no need to act morally towards nature or any other forms of life. This is the philosophical basis for the concept of man ruling nature in the industrial civilization. The ecological civilization, however, believes that value exists in both man and nature; nature is also endowed with the power to take the initiative; and all forms of life depend on nature, including mankind. Therefore, man must respect life and nature, as the earth is home to both.
Second is the change in the mode of production and way of life. In the industrial civilization, from raw materials to castoffs, production is a non-cyclic process and people’s lifestyle adheres to the principle of materialism, characterized by high consumption. It is believed that more consumption means a greater contribution to economic development. The ecological civilization, however, aims to create an environmentally-friendly society that is based on the resource capacity, conforms to the law of nature and to the policies of sustainable social, economic and cultural development. People will then lead an energy-saving life characterized by moderate consumption, a demand for basic living standards and the pursuit of a cultural life.
As a new trend, it was thought that an ecological civilization would first appear in developed countries, as it is in those countries that ecological crises first occurred. Nevertheless, this expectation has failed to materialize. One reason is that Western countries are able to relieve themselves from ecological crises by depending on their strong technological and financial capacity. The other reason is that the strong inertia of Western industrial civilization will last for a long time and third is that the Western developed countries are transferring ecological problems to less developed regions. While the Western world is losing the opportunity to develop an ecological civilization, there is a possibility for China to realize a leap-forward in this regard.
Ecological civilization and China
The Chinese civilization failed to catch up with the pace of the industrial civilization, but its essence conforms to the internal requirement of an ecological civilization. Ecological ethics have always been an important part of traditional Chinese culture, which makes it possible for us to reflect on and transcend the material-oriented civilization that has been guiding humanity since the Renaissance in the 14th century.
In the Chinese history, every dynasty had ecological protection laws and regulations, not because the rulers realized the importance of doing so, but ecological conservation is an indispensable part of Chinese culture. Centering on Confucianism, over thousands of years, a systematic ecological code of ethics has taken shape in Chinese civilization.
China’s Confucian ecological culture emphasizes virtue, with “the integration of nature and man” as its essence. It values the “unification of nature and man”. Stressing the internal value of everything in the world, Confucianism suggests treating nature in a benevolent way. The ecological wisdom in China’s Taoism is a kind of naturalistic wisdom, which proposes to improve oneself by respecting everything in the world. Taoism stresses that man should act in accordance with the laws of nature.
The ecological wisdom in Chinese Buddhism encourages people to disengage themselves from misery by caring for everything in the world. Based on the belief of kindness to all sentient beings, Buddhism puts “not killing” first in its Five Precepts. Here ecological ethics is included in the principle of compassion in the relationship between man and nature. People are encouraged to realize their own value by doing good things to others.
The essence of Chinese civilization is often thought of as “self-improvement” and “social-commitment”, which conforms to the internal requirement of an ecological civilization. This spirit provides the cultural basis for the solution of the ecological crisis, and will help us to transcend the industrial civilization and build up the ecological civilization. Some Western ecologists have proposed that Western ecological ethics should now turn to the oriental philosophy for help. In 1998, 75 Nobel Prize laureates made the conclusion in Paris that “if mankind hopes to survive in the 21st century, the wisdom of Confucianism that dates back 2,500 years must be revisited.”
That the essence of the Chinese culture begins to receive more attention implies the beginning of a more profound problem. While refraining from copying the principles in the traditional culture, we must at the same time value scientific rationality in the process of China’s modernization. It’s important to combine traditional culture with the ecological rationality, just like the combination of Western and Eastern civilizations.
Humanitarian spirit has a role to play in preventing the tendency of absolute trust in scientific rationality.
We live with Chinese culture, but our modernization drive is based on Western logic. However, it’s not a wise choice to copy the Western model of industrial modernization, especially in China, because that model will result in serious conflicts with the environment and resources in such a developing country as China. In this sense, it’s necessary to turn to the traditional Chinese culture for a correct guideline in our modernization and our cultural structure and to make the ecological wisdom in the Chinese civilization an important component of the ecological civilization.
Ecological civilization alone is not enough, so we need tangible practice—that is to promote the transformation of industrial civilization-based socialism to one based on the ecological civilization.
Ecological civilization and socialism?
The transformation of civilizations makes it necessary for the reforms in social, political and economic systems. The agricultural civilization promoted the emergence of feudalism, the industrial civilization, capitalism and the ecological civilization, the overall development of socialism.
While stressing the human-centered principles, socialist ecological civilization is opposed to the extreme and imbalanced emphasis on human beings or on ecology. The former has resulted in a serious survival crisis, while in accordance with the latter, human society must stop any activities that may change nature. In an ecological civilization, man possesses the central position, but he is not able to dominate nature. The overall development of mankind must be based on the overall development of nature. As for sustainable development and equality and justice, ecological civilization basically conforms to socialist principles.
A material civilization, political civilization and spiritual civilization are indispensable from an ecological civilization. Without good ecological conditions, it’s impossible for people to enjoy high-level material, political and spiritual life. Without ecological security, humanity will be reduced to an irreversible ecological crisis.
In response to the problems resulting from globalization—ecological problems for example—ecological socialism has provided new guides for the future development of society. Although the theory is yet to be proved, it will surely show that socialism is fundamental to dealing with global problems.
The deep-rooted traditional ecological harmony concept in Chinese culture is a solid philosophical foundation for the realization of an ecological civilization. Today, a series of new political concepts put forward by the Communist Party of China, like scientific development, the construction of a socialist harmonious society and an environmentally-friendly society, are complementary to such concepts as ecological socialism, sustainable development of the world and also China’s traditional culture. The integration of these concepts is expected to promote the ecological civilization in China, the great revitalization of the Chinese nation, the new trend of sustainable development around the world as well as the overall development of mankind and the harmony of human society. In the cause of building up the ecological civilization, China has an important role to play.

(The Daily Mail-Beijing Review Articles Exchange Item)


The collapse of confidence
Col (R) M. Zaman Malik

Americans have begun to admit unequivocally the US invasion of Iraq in fomenting terrorist cells and attacks producing the ‘Global Jahadis Movement’ and helped spread Islam by providing a focal point for anti Americanism. Despite dismantling the Leadership of Al-Qaida and its ability to plan major operations, the Radicals cells have moved to more than 5,000 Websites to organize and spread their message. This is what was published on September 11th, after the completion of ‘The National Intelligence Estimates’ which was termed as very candid assessment.’ What precipitated the US pre-emptive and every thing that looked like a splendid success tuned into an abysmal failure? Who was responsible for the aberration that led US challenge the world with brutal worlds like ‘Evil’ and ‘Rogue’ states? Those who wrote countless articles in favour of Pre-emptive must be taken to toss first, for they are the motivators of this inhuman and ever continuing policy. With their persuasions President Bush seemed over charged to turn the world upside down, and he indeed did so. Now, at this stage those very Americans who were in favour of Pre-emptive deserve to have some thing similar for their honours- what would they choose for themselves?
Who caused the collapse of confidence in Prime Minister Tony Blair? His foreign policy is principally responsible for his Waterloo. By far the worst the American and British have committed themselves to a confrontation with Islam (They call it Islam of Radicals) in which their people find it hard to believe, like rest of the world. The American and British Administrations have deceived their public so often and misread events so grievously followed by equally so many mistaken policies that no one feels like trusting them now on. Their honour has sunk to bottomless depths. Was the “Mission Achieved” not based on heinous ignorance, for which the whole world stands at tinder hooks? If a similar situation presents itself again, what would be the US response? God knows they have learnt any lesson from it or not but the world has learnt an unforgettable lesson having suffered at US - UK hands! No one on earth has ever strengthened civil liberties by turning a people into ash and rubble. There could never be greater Terrorism than that. How therefore does it lie in the mouth of US and UK that they did all that for ‘Civil liberties?’ They have changed the entire vocabulary, terminologies, definitions, Laws, Conventions, etc., to justify destructions of life and property in the Global Village. No wonder then that the Multilateralism is going to emerge shortly. Both these perpetrators therefore, should be subjected to restriction and sanctions and the matter for their condemnation should be referred to the General Assembly, where they will be left high and dry – what a Powerful most nations! And the victims will have the rights to get reasonably enough compensation from them for all the life and property they have been destroyed. The time has long passed- by when the defenders of their soils, the freedom Fighters, were termed as Terrorists. We hate to listen to White – Man’s burden psyche; it is a burden for them for they don’t like others to live on the planet Earth. For this very outlook, as has been witnessed over the centuries (since renaissance), they have been subjugating and subjecting the non-Whites to criminal treatment.
Democratic senator Edward Kennedy said in a statement that the report under preparation with regard to Iraq war “should put the final nail in the coffin for President Bush’s phoney arguments about Iraq war. How many more deaths, how much deeper into Civil war will Iraq need to fall for the White House to wale up and change its strategy in Iraq? In reply the White House said “These seeds were planted decades ago (probably during Bush senior’s time). Instead of waiting while Terrorists plan attacks the US must arrive at certain reasonable and just resolutions and ensure implementation through UNO. At present, the US continues to keep rehearsing certain Mantras e-g., Al-Qaida massacred nearly 3,000 on 11 September, the West Invaded Afghanistan; Never mind Iraq. No body out side the White House and Downing Street doubts tat Bush’s and Blair’s actions have vastly worsened relations with the Muslim World. But nothing can justify terrorism, more so, state terrorism.
Quoting Hitler, according to the invaders, Osama bin –Laden said, “making war is an end in itself.” G.W. Bush’s denunciation of Bin Laden like and a similar one by Blair can not save them from people’s wrath and hatred for lies on the directions of Zionism. The confusions surrounding Saddam Hussain’s trail of Genocide charges are getting deeper further day by day. Is this world safer today or the one it was when (When the lies about ICBMs were not labelled on Saddam) Iraq was invaded? Same can be legitimately be asked about Kabul! Sometimes, Blair’s administration’s successors also seem similarly ready to pick up the same quarrel afresh. Muslim extremists are frightening the Israeli dictated Fascism, the Cartoonist Pope at Vatican, brutal, fanatics, unreasonable minds which behave like primitives.
The United States, despite constant pressure from its NATO Allies remained steadfastly unwilling to jettison its diplomatic and military relationship with the state of Israel, and only widened the Gulf between Ankara and the Chancelleries of Power in the Arab World, very fast, since 14th May 1948. Ankara rejected George Bush’s intention to use Turkish basis to invade Iraq. To Pakistan’s bad luck, India was asking loudly for America to ask and get any help / support. Obviously, India wanted Pakistan to be ended as it was created when Pax Americana was being shaped to replace Pax Britannica. Besides, General Zia had set a bad example of remaining a Front line State even after 1986/87. Pakistan could not extricate itself so soon when UAR and Saudi Arabia too had already withdrawn their ambassadors fro Kabul.
Bush’s administration seems to be awakening from six years stupor regarding the Arab-Israeli peace process. It may even have begun to recognize the limits of military power and considering the possible merits of dialogue, not only between Israelis; but even between US itself and Iran. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s visit appears much to do with these efforts, rather than asking King of Saudi Arabia to have Sunnis in Iraq exercise self-restraint, in fighting Americans in Iraq. That is not possible for the king. There are ‘many of them’ in Saudi Arabia too.


Regime change in US
Claude Salhani

THE outcome of Tuesday’s midterm election in the United States is as much a victory for the Democrats as it is a vote of no confidence for the Bush administration. It is in fact a censure of the Bush government and what is largely perceived as a failed policy regarding the Iraq war, the economy and the government’s abuse of power. This political shakeup amounts to a demand by the American people for regime change in... Washington. The Republicans who controlled the two chambers of Congress lost 28 seats to the Democrats in the House, giving them the majority in the lower chamber. As of Wednesday morning the Democrats had gained four Senate seats splitting the upper chamber 49-49, with two states still not called. To dominate the Senate, Democrats would need to win both remaining Senate seats.
The loss of confidence in the Bush administration’s ability to handle the Iraq war was a major contributor to the defeat of the Republican Party. Interestingly, disappointment in the administration’s performance was not only manifested from the expected opposition, such as Democrats and Liberals, but from once-ardent Bush supporters, too. Interestingly, just days before Election Day a number of hard-line neoconservatives, including a one-time Pentagon adviser and a main architect of the Iraq war spoke out against the way the US was conducting the war in Iraq, calling it a “disaster.”
In an interview to Vanity Fair magazine Richard Perle, said if he had been able to see how the war would turn out, he probably would not have pushed for the removal of Saddam Hussein. “I think if I had been delphic, and had seen where we are today, and people had said, ‘Should we go into Iraq?,’ I think now I probably would have said, ‘No, let’s consider other strategies for dealing with the thing that concerns us most, which is Saddam supplying weapons of mass destruction to terrorists,” Perle is quoted by David Rose in the Vanity Fair article.
Perle added: “The decisions did not get made that should have been. They didn’t get made in a timely fashion, and the differences were argued out endlessly.” Responding to the magazine’s accusations, a White House spokesman said, “The president has a plan to succeed in Iraq....” Campaigning for the Republicans right up to Election Day, the president kept repeating the same line, that he has a “plan” for Iraq. Well, if indeed Bush has a plan that would win the war, just what is he waiting for? But Bush loyalists, including Perle and other former White House insiders cited in the Vanity Fair interviews, claim they were quoted out of context and that the magazine is playing politics, hoping to influence the elections.