GHANA’S INDUSTRIALISATION: GERMANY AS AN EXAMPLE

Antonie van Leewenhoek (1632-1723), the Dutch had just used the magnifying glass to first discover the microscopic objects in his bed. Later he had perfected it to a high degree and systematically utilised it to make discoveries in the biological science. First he discovered bacteria and second, protozoa. It was said that though not educated in Latin, Greek, and the sciences, he was the first person to have laid the foundations of the sciences of bacteriology and protozoology.

It was this essential news which Galileo Galilei heard in 1609 that made him immediately to become fascinated about this invention such that he commenced to make his own refracting telescope; an instrument which he employed to observe stars, planets, and their moons. Later in 1610, he used a telescope at close range to magnify the parts of insects, and by 1624 he had perfected a compound microscope. In the book The Stary Messenger, Galileo had described his early telescopic discoveries, which was published in 1610. Galileo through this work made it known how he had discovered mountains on the moon and later found other moons or satellites for the planet Jupiter. This genius's discoveries earlier on led to the abandonment of heaven/earth dichotomy that implied that all matter is of the same kind, regardless of whether it is celestial or terrestrial.

But the sad thing about Galileo invention, the Italian physicist and mathematician, who is thought by many able scientists as had laid the foundation of modern science of mechanic, was that many of his colleagues at time refused to look into his new telescope. They rationalised that “why should they look inside this simple instrument to observe the stars when they could use their own naked eyes to conduct these investigations?” Therefore, this became a sort of ridicule among his own contemporaries concerning the sound method of observing the stars and planets. Sometimes human beings that lack the knowledge concerning how useful science is, make certain remarks to indicate that they prefer to continue their traditional manner of working, instead of concentrating on the efficient use of scientific methods, which bring progress to society.

Industrial Revolution, which started in Great Britain, was essentially a rapid change in methods of producing goods other crops, a change that involved a transition from making things by hand with the aid of simple tools to their production by increasingly complicated machines and chemical processes. England, however, had taken the lead because of mechanisation of industrial production, which provided her enormous economic advantages down to at least World War One. In the cotton textile industry England long held an overpowering position. It had achieved its breakthrough primarily in the manufacture of these textiles and in iron metallurgy and also in the development of the steam engine as a prime mover. It is because of this that he dominated the world for a long time in terms of the monopoly of capital and technology, which she sought to protect them from getting out of hands to other neighbouring countries. But soon because of traitors and spies that were offered high payment to bring in their techniques, France was capable of acquiring these techniques in adequate manner that helped her to succeed in industrialisation. Later Germany would follow suit and in her attempt to industrialise, she aggressively acquired both technology and capital from Great Britain and France that enabled her to develop quickly and later surpassed all of them.

But the case of Germany's industrialisation has a very important lesson to the world. We know that this country was for a long time made up of farmers that were scattered all over the German states. But both economists and historians alike have commented on their industrialisation as a tremendous achievement. Unlike Great Britain and France which put much of their resources into colonialism and capital abroad, and France, especially, that refused to give up its style of gracious living; Germany was bent on industrialising its country through the strenuous employment of scientific educational system and superb use of research facilities she built. This country had vast resources of coal and chemical and other raw materials, which made it possible to secure their need of energy resources for these emerging industries they put up. By successfully industrialising through the tremendous help from science and research, Germany upset the previously existing balance of military power and industrial power and became the centre of political alliance that was in a position to challenge the leadership of Great Britain and France.

Another important ingredient, which people usually forget to comment on whenever they discuss about Germany's industrial success, was their utilisation of the natural language, or blood language, which made it that they could, translates all scientific books from the civilisations of antiquity (Achimedes, Appolonius of Perga, and many others) up until the present century. By championing the use of the natural language, the Germans were capable of building their solid scientific base which had never been superseded since they surged ahead in the industrial world.

The theory of adaptability which was developed by me and published recently in the book Matter Man and Motion: Scientific Theories on Modern Man and Adaptation (2008), cogently describes how the use of Secondary Law of Intelligence, that is, science could be capable of deepening an individual's or nations' intelligence. Already the theory recognises the enormous need of external pressure, which forces an individual or nation to commence on searching for solutions to the problems, which confront this person or the nation. The root of effective organisation ability lies in the pressure that is impinging on the mental capability of the individual or nation. And this can be recognised as the harsh weather condition, other constraints that are impossible to neglect and so have to be dealt with sooner or later, and the unpredictable nature of wars that were very rampant among the warlike nations of the world. I named the latter as the Primary Law of Intelligence. But while the former was statistical law, the latter was somehow considered deterministic because of the nature of its influencing capability on every human being on earth.

The theory of adaptability also recognises the use of additional ingredient to the acquisition of intelligence, and this is the use of the blood language to imbibe knowledge in the classroom and later its application of this same language in carrying out responsibility in the society. It points out the importance of this ingredient, as all nations that excelled since antiquity had been found to have employed their blood language in imbibing knowledge (Ancient Arabs, Greeks, Babylonians, Latin Tribes, and others). It found out that though there is wisdom in every culture, the individuals' use of their blood language determines how sharp these persons can be become in the future. There is an hundred percent comprehension of whatever subject that is being taught in the classroom. The pupil does not have to strive in order to comprehend. The use of the blood languages of the Europeans had given them advantage of having higher IQ and given them increased in productivity compared to those countries that still grapple with other people's language for obtaining education. These countries educate few among their population and leave the rest ignorant and miserable.

The theory of adaptability makes us to understand that imitating other successful nations of their manner of doing things such as buildings, manufacturing, and living can allow the novice to be proficient in the end and become successful. It points out that all nations that had surged ahead imitated from one another prior to their attaining superiority in doing something. It was this same principle which made Napoleon during his expedition in Egypt in 1800s, sent famous scientists from France to study the wisdom and works of the Ancient Egyptians (Egyptology). The expeditions helped famous scientists such Cannot, Fourier, and many others to come up with many inventions later when they returned to France. To the French, the expedition was successful. The British, for example, obtained enormous knowledge when they returned from their own colonial expedition in the Far East. The use of cotton and weaving had its beginnings from the Far East and many ways of performing other notable things including buildings.

The theory of adaptability provides us with these principles regarding information or knowledge that influence the intelligence of individuals or group of nations: organisation due to environmental pressure; the use of the scientific method in gaining knowledge; the use of natural language (blood language); systematic imitation of other individuals or nations; and adaptation to this individual or the nations' own environment.

Germany became successful in their industrialisation due to the superb utilisation of all these principles mentioned above.