When asked to speak at today's conference, I quickly and emphatically said yes, and perhaps I did not listen to the Society close enough when told of my topic. I had prepared myself with an essay on the four most important factors that have led to technological transfer and innovation in the world, only to discover after reading the invitation letter that I was to defend one of these four factors in my essay, not them all. This realization was a very good thing, it forced me to take a global look in my research before I concentrated on one particular factor. I believe this gave me a much farther reaching understanding of all the factors, but most importantly, I've discovered much more examples of military activities leading to technological transfer and innovation than I would have otherwise.
Military activities have been essential to technology transfer and innovation for centuries. Man has always been a belligerent creature, and this hunger for war and conflict have led to an incredible number of instances where this belligerent nature helped create routes for technology to pass. We see a very clear example of such activities occurring when we look at the Muslim conquests of north Africa and southern Spain. The Muslim conquests of these areas led to technological transfer and innovation that perhaps would not have come about otherwise. Under Muslim rule, the people of north Africa and Spain were first introduced to the religion of Islam. Islam made several daily demands of it's followers. Two of the more technologically significant demands were the demand for clothing from neck to ankle, and the demand for higher learning by the followers.
These two demands placed on the people were important to technology because they provided a need for technology in these regions for technology in the areas of textiles and paper making that did not exist in the areas at the time. Through the Muslim rulers there were universities set up in north Africa and Spain to provide a place for scholars to learn and teach. These universities required great amounts of paper, thus the transfer of existing paper producing technology from Asia and the Middle East. This existing technology fixed the need for paper but the paper produced in the way of the Chinese was not the best type for the Muslim scholars. In China writing is done by ink brushes, in Africa and Spain writing was produced by ink pen or quill. The paper making process used by the Chinese was therefor altered by the Muslims. The Muslims added a starch into the paper pulp, producing a paper much better suited for ink quill writing.
Another technological innovation and transfer that occurred due to military activities, was the transfer of gunpowder and gun technologies to Europe by way of the Mongols. The Mongols were intent on conquering as much of Asia as they could. In their quest to do just this, they eventually took over Russia and found themselves in Eastern Europe. The conquering of Russia now opened up a more northern line of communication to china and the Far East than the route through India and the Middle East. Several technological innovations made in the Far East were discovered by the Europeans by way of this northern route. One ambassador sent from Europe to the east was William Rubruck who became very interested in the incendiary devices he observed in China and Mongolia. An interest in these devices grew in Europe mainly because of their potential for military use. This interest in guns must have been extremely high. It took a couple hundred of years for this technology to transfer and be used by the Europeans, where as most technology might take even a thousand years to transfer from China to Europe.
(Interruption from audience)
"Excuse me Mr. Fermanis, I have a real basic problem with your conclusions based upon your first example. You stated that the military conquest of north Africa and southern Spain were the reasons for the adoption of paper and textile production technology by these people. I believe that your conclusion is wrong by reasons that you state, that the adoption of the Islamic religion led to the transfer of these technologies, not the military activities in that area. If it were not for the Islamic religion there would never have been a need for these technologies."
(Response to interruption)
Sir, I thank you for that very valid point. I had hoped to carry that point very clearly in my statement at the beginning of this speech. You are correct in your thinking, what I am simply stating is that the military invasion of north Africa and Spain led to the adoption of Islam and hence the technological transfer and innovation. I see these events as a domino chain, if the first domino is not tipped, (in this case the military invasion) then the next on will not either (in its case the adoption of Islam).
Other technological innovations came about because of a military need. One such innovation is the Mongol invention of the steel stir-up. The Mongols were always excellent horsemen, but they needed a means to become much more maneuverable and steady while on horseback. The result of this military need was the invention of the steel stir-up. With this stir-up the Mongols conquered mush of Asia with their extremely capable cavalry.
In conclusion, I believe that there are four factors important to technological innovation, religion, governmental activities, commercial activities, and military activities. I also believe that one factor has been particularity important to this technological transfer and innovation, This would have to be the latter, military activities.
