The European superiority complex

Interview with Hans Rosling (part II)

Q You often talk about how the North Americans and Europeans like to set themselves apart from the 'developing' nations of the world. Why so?
This is transformed racism. The previous dominance of Western Europe yielded an arrogance that started the myths that Europeans were genetically superior to the rest of the world. After some time, they said, it's a 'civilisation' difference - Christianity is better than Hinduism, Buddhism or Islam.

Then they said it's about institutions - that Asia is too authoritarian. When that started to change, they began to say: 'Oh, they can't live like us, they will destroy the planet.' When one explanation lost credibility, they jumped to another to show why they were superior and should continue to be so.

I was lecturing in Vancouver and a young student who runs a Web journal interviewed me. Her first question was: 'Should we in the West allow the poor in the developing world to achieve the same living standard as we have?' This was an intelligent 21-year-old student.
I asked her: 'How can you ask that question? How do you plan to stop them?' She actually started to cry after a while because she realised what she had said.

Q How do you explain that Japan is sometimes referred to as a 'Western' country?
I think it's like the aristocratic system - it classified people into either aristocrats or commoners. Either you were an aristocrat by birth, or you belonged to the commons. When someone was really good but not aristocrat - and it became too embarrassing - then they made him an aristocrat. And it is like this with the countries of the world - you are either 'Western' or 'uncivilised'. When countries like Japan become too successful, then they say: 'Oh, it's a Western country.'

Q How valid is this idea that China is the world's biggest source of pollution?
It is intellectually at this level. (He bends down and points to his socks). I call the people with these ideas Post-Industrial Morons. Saying that China is the biggest polluter is as clever as putting all Chinese citizens on a scale and saying: 'Oh, they weigh more than Americans, so they have an obesity problem.'

It would be more intelligent to break down the carbon dioxide emissions in China according to province. And if we did that, we would find some provinces that would match West Europe and North America in carbon dioxide emissions.

The arrogant people in West Europe and North America have this idea that women in India shouldn't have washing machines, that they should continue to hand wash their clothes. I always ask in my lectures: 'How many of you hand wash your sheets and your trousers?' Sometimes there is one Rastafarian with dreadlocks who will raise his hand, so I will ask him: 'Do you have any children?' And he will say no. And so I will tell him: 'Come back to me when you have children and tell me if you will continue to hand wash your sheets.'

I agree that we need environmentally friendly washing machines, and we should have chemicals that are kind to the environment. But I am astonished at the attitudes I find in West Europe and North America. It's not driven by a joint concern about the environment. It builds on the idea they must be more privileged than the rest of the world.