Conflict between East and West - epitomized by Red China and the United States - is the fuel which powers the engine of civilization, says C. Northcote Parkinson.

Parkinson, you will remember, is the irreverent historian who created "Parkinson's Law" which proves that non-productive work is created as government employees are added to public payrolls.  Though satirical in approach, the contention was sufficiently grounded in truth that it attracted world wide attention from government and business administrators.

Now, in a serious historical work, Parkinson makes a good case for his theory that competition between Oriental and Occidental cultures is essential to progress.

"To understand the East-West conflict is vitally important," says Parkinson.  "In studying history, we come to realize that there have been alternating phases of Oriental and Western ascendancy."

"Periods of high civilization are found to last from one to two thousand years (more or less), and scholars can break these periods down into phases of origin, growth, achievement and decay.

"And whatever their life span, whatever the height or splendor of their flowering, all civilizations known to us have ended in decadence," he states.

Parkinson's views are contained in his book "East And West" (Houghton Mifflin Co.) which I highly recommend.

He traces the rise and fall of the Sumerians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Phoenicians, Persians, Romans, Indians, Chinese, Europeans and many other people.  As each took their brief bows on the world stage, the seeds of their own destruction already were sown.  Why?

"We have learned to associate decay with overtaxation, but is that a symptom or result?"  Parkinson asks.  "Overtaxation is again the cause of a growing burden of useless - and worse than useless - bureaucracy; but has that also a biological aspect?

The one evident fact is that national decadence is at least accompanied by the individual's loss of energy.  The energy dies away, the arts become sterile, policy becomes timid, and the outposts are abandoned.  And it is this decay which creates the vacuum into which another and more virile civilization is drawn."

Parkinson contends that the suction created by a progressive decay draws in a flow of ideas, fashions, inventions and words.  

"It attracts missionaries, travelers, merchants, and teachers, with agents both commercial and secret, trade missions, cultural delegations, military advisors, and high-powered diplomatists.

"The actual invasion comes later, as a rule, being followed up by tax collectors, administrators, surveyors and philologists, architects, engineers, art critics, and crooks.

"Where the peaceful pressure is sufficiently unopposed, no actual invasion may be needed.  More than that, the pressure may continue even after an invasion has failed.  The offensive is only perhaps incidentally of a military kind, the campaigns being more dramatic but not necessarily more important."

Parkinson's description of a resurging civilization conjures up Communism.  His list of decay symptoms is uncomfortably similar to those afflicting the Western nations.

When a historian speaks of these matters we tend to shrug off their warnings as academic alarm.  More believable, perhaps, are the conclusions of a life-long observer of current affairs such as John Thomas Scopes.

Scopes was the defendant in the famous "monkey trial" held forty years ago last month.  The state of Tennessee had passed a law forbidding schools to teach that man has evolved in any other manner than that revealed by the Holy Bible.  Scopes deliberately conducted a biology class in which he explained Darwin's theory of evolution that man was descended from a primitive creature.  For this violation of governmental fiat, he was arrested.

The trial attracted intense national attention.  Scopes was found guilty and fined $100, yet there was no question that he won a great moral victory.  The state of Tennessee and the prosecuting attorney, William Jennings Bryan, became the laughing stock of the country.

Now 64 and in retirement, Scopes told a newspaper reporter recently that he believes "decay in society" has set in and that modern communications may only speed the end of European-type civilization.

Scopes declares that he had no concern for Darwin's theories but wanted only to defend academic freedom.  Now he views with concern the increasing role of the federal government in education and feels there is less, not more, of the freedom he defended.

"It is as bad to have school and state joined together as it is to have church and state joined," Scopes told his interviewer.

Among those brought up in the traditions of the American or Russian revolutions, there is a belief in the morality of revolt as contrasted with the wickedness of imperialism, says Parkinson.

"We have to realize, however, that no such contrast has ever existed.  If imperialism leads to eventual revolt, the revolt leads as inevitably to a new imperialism.  Successful rebels who cry 'One man is as good as another' go on instantly to add 'And better!' - thereby announcing their own ascendancy over some other group."

The forces of resistance - whether emotional, psychological, military or economic - are left unopposed as a result of their own success.  Ascendancy creates resistance, and resistance turns into a new ascendancy.

"Once set in motion, this gigantic and clumsy engine, this alternating ascendance of East and West, must seemingly pound on," Parkinson concludes somewhat gloomily.

July 13, 1985 version

East West Conflict Powers Civilization

Americans are growing angry over the loss of jobs to aggressive Japanese industry. There is pleading to "Buy American," and strong talk about "protecting" U.S. workers from cheap labor of a score of Asian competitors.

Indeed, newly developing, nations from Singapore to the Philippines have pre-empted our markets for a wide range of such labor-intensive products as shoes, shirts, steel, autos, cameras and electronics.

Under these circumstances it is difficult to stand back and view the situation objectively. Yet, conflict between East and West is the fuel which powers the engine of civilization, according to C. Northcote Parkinson.

Parkinson, you will remember, is the Irreverent historian who propounded "Parkinson's Law" governing large institutions whether they be government, business or union: "Work expands to fill the time available for its performance."

In his serious historical work, "East and West," Parkinson makes a good case for the theory that competition between Oriental and Occidental cultures is essential to progress.

"To understand the East-West conflict is vitally important," says Parkinson. "In studying history we come to realize that there have been alternating phases of Oriental and Western ascendancy.

"Periods of high civilization are found to last from one to two thousand years, more or less, and scholars can break these periods down into phases of origin, growth, achievement and decay.

"Whatever their life span, whatever the height or splendor of their flowering, all civilizations known to us have ended in decadence," he states.

Parkinson traces the rise and fall of the Sumerians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Persians, Romans, Chinese and Europeans. As each took their brief bows on the world stage, the seeds of their own destruction already were sown. Why?

"We have learned to associate decay with over-taxation, but is that a symptom or result?" Parkinson asks. "Over-taxation is the cause of a growing burden of useless - and worse than useless - bureaucracy. But has that also a biological aspect?

"The one evident fact is that national decadence is at least accompanied by the individual's loss of energy. The energy dies away, the arts become sterile, policy becomes timid and the outposts are abandoned.

"It is this decay which creates a vacuum into which another and more virile civilization is drawn."

Parkinson contends that the suction created by a progressive decay draws in a flow of ideas, fashions, inventions and words.

"It attracts missionaries, travelers, merchants and teachers - with agents both commercial and secret," Parkinson declares. "It spawns trade missions, cultural delegations, Military advisers and high-powered diplomats.

"The actual invasion comes later, as a rule, being followed up by tax collectors, administrators, surveyors and philologists, architects, engineers, art critics and crooks.

"Where the peaceful pressure is sufficiently unopposed, no actual invasion may be needed. More than that, the pressure may continue even after an invasion has failed. The offensive is only perhaps incidentally of a military kind - the campaigns being more dramatic but not necessarily more important."

Parkinson's description of a resurging civilization conjures up the Japanese society. His list of decay symptoms is uncomfortably similar to those afflicting the United States.

Certainly our business managers make pilgrimages to Japan to learn their techniques.

Our consumers increasingly favor Oriental goods - everything from Hondas to Jacuzzis. Agents roam at will throughout the U.S. stealing trade secrets.

A group of Japanese businessmen a couple of years ago offered to send Americans $10 billion of foreign aid – the unintentional, but supreme, insult.

The loss of energy, which Parkinson postulates, already presses heavily on the American psyche.

Not many people want to dig ditches, pick oranges, wash dishes or carry bags at the airport. We would rather go on welfare than re-train for a different job or move to a new locality.

Our artists can not create without government subsidy - and with it dash of sploshes that can't be fathomed without a museum guide. We no longer can distinguish pornography from free speech, or self-indulgence from morality.

National policy is molded by anti-whatever marches. The outposts of liberty are abandoned in Indo-china, Africa, Middle East and Central America. Dialog has replaced action.

Easy-chair dreamers of the western world have forgotten their own, ancient revolutions and reject the menace of revolt by new barbarians.

"If imperialism leads to eventual revolt, the revolt leads us inevitably to a new imperialism," declares Parkinson. "Successful rebels who cry, 'One man is as good as another,' go on instantly to add, 'And better' thereby announcing their own ascendancy over some other group."

The forces of revolt exert increasing pressure on the existing order. Japan lost the war it started but has never let up on its pressure against the U.S. It stands a good chance of overpowering the victors because we are losing the will to compete.

We should note that the process of conflict and decay continually accelerates. Each succeeding civilization flowers and dies in a shorter period of time. What once was measured in millenniums is now marked in centuries. Technology determines the rate, and the United States is in the technical forefront.

The cycle of conflict turns on resolve. The question before us today is: which nations have the most of it?

"Once set in motion, this gigantic and clumsy engine, this alternating ascendance of East and West, must seemingly pound on," Parkinson concludes somewhat gloomily.

Perhaps so, but the reversal doesn't have to occur on our watch if we compete and resist.

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