Why the World Looks Like the World Today? - Wang Gungwu | Endgame #228

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Get your copy of Gita Wirjawan’s book, “What It Takes: Southeast Asia”, NOW: https://sgpp.me/what-it-takes-yt or get it at Periplus: https://sgpp.me/what-it-takes-periplus ------------ What makes civilizations rise, thrive, and sometimes vanish? How do geography, language, and ideas shape the destiny of nations? In this sweeping conversation, historian Wang Gungwu takes us on a 2,000-year journey—through the birth of the nation-state, the paradoxes of Southeast Asia, and the making of modern China. From the Abbasid Golden Age to Mongol conquests, from India’s gods to China’s bureaucracy, from Indonesia’s “miracle” to Singapore’s unlikely success—this is history as a map for the future. We talk about borders, culture, and the problem of succession; why civilizations fail when they can’t communicate; and how Southeast Asia can lead without imitating China or the US. It’s a masterclass in how the past shapes the present—and a call for the next generation to learn, adapt, and imagine a better world order. #Endgame #GitaWirjawan #WangGungwu ------------ About Professor Wang Gungwu: Prof. Gungwu is a renowned historian and scholar of Chinese history and the Chinese diaspora. He is a University Professor at the National University of Singapore and Professor Emeritus at the Australian National University. He has served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong and Director of the East Asian Institute at NUS, and is widely recognized as a pioneer in overseas Chinese studies and a leading voice in the study of China’s place in the world. About the Host: Gita is an Indonesian entrepreneur and educator. He is the founding partner of Ikhlas Capital and the chairman of Ancora Group. Currently, he is teaching at Stanford as a visiting scholar with Stanford's Precourt Institute for Energy; and a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. ------------ You might also like: https://youtu.be/rc5MI1qSMBU https://youtu.be/YvjuMn5XvZ8 https://youtu.be/bh8l-nPH19w ------------ Explore and be part of our community https://endgame.id/ ------------ Collaborations and partnerships: https://sgpp.me/contactus ------------ Special thanks to our ‘Future Narrators’ channel members: Mariko Yoshihara, Yemotto IBRAHIM, hobi kluyuran, Fajar Prasetyo, Dyah Firgiani, keetkaat, Excel-lent, Arie Gunardi, Yayi Trisnawati D, Teddy Chow, Wwertyssnb, Alex Alex, Crispy_Cracker58, Priyanithi Dharsania Negara, Widi Aphrian, hndraable, hendro trihatmojo, azam adnani, QunÔºáan Syukrilah, Charles Andrew Tang, Ariyo Arinsa Putra, Reda Bellarbi, rabiah al adawiyah, Jaz Simbolon, Raul L. Cotto-Serrano, Muhammad Ismail Mubarak, Stefanus B. W., Wahyu Jaka, KATE WOLSKA, pixelcadet, Itje Chodidjah, Elmi CK Ong, Geralt Fajar Bukan, cute bunny, Jack Duan, masni eritrina, Lucy March, Abdul Rohman, auliaali05, Anggun Noventina, Irawan Purwono, Krishna Putra, Agnes Pranindita, Darso Arafa, nazaruddin nasir, 747sgw, benget yakub, Patricia S, ferra febrianti, De Guda Kessa, Gusko Adnyana, Gietsea Channel, mjk939, Mawan Darmawan, Muhammad Naufal, Ainur Rofiq, Adrian Baskoro, diah anggraini, liza dewi, Bambang Haryanto, Ezwan Zakaria, Marilyn C, Kianti Darusman, Revolution R, E A Makarima Mohammad, Joanna FKG, Taswin Munier, Ayu Arman, M Firaldi Akbar Zulkarnain, Super ‚ÄúBuupy Pub‚Äù Bondon, Ika Budhyardjo, Ferdy Reza, Elnasdi Moda, Hendry Ahen, Aria Widyanto, Triyoni Hafzan, Ilham R, Salwaluna Maryam, Meilisva AA Taniel, Haju Ara Podcast, nonik martyastuti, Evi Susanti, ST., MM, ICP-ACC, CSMP, Flores Exotic Tours, Maya, Niki S, Anita Amalia, hardianiati, Dewi Risnawati, birgietta katherine, Derry Harnanda, Aleyandra Rizka Amalia, Hutomo Said, Ridwan Sakidja, bramanto leo, Sanityas Prawatyani ------------ Jump to: 0:00:00 - Intro 0:01:15 - Early life of Wang Gungwu 0:05:57 - Early interest in history 0:09:55 - Historical amnesia 0:14:14 - “Being optimistic is not entirely a foolish thing” 0:16:50 - How society evolved 101 0:24:04 - Culture vs. Civilization 0:29:46 - How nation-states emerged 0:39:10 - China vs. India: How geography shaped civilizations 0:45:58 - Southeast Asia: Melting pot of civilizations 0:51:03 - Abbasid Caliphate and Mongol conquest 0:53:45 - How language made civilizations possible 0:58:26 - The making of modern China 1:13:26 - Meritocracy in autocracy vs. democracy 1:24:41 - Reformist vs. Technocrat: Mao vs. Deng 1:35:35 - How China became successful 1:43:46 - Defining Southeast Asia 1:54:24 - Paradox of Singapore 2:05:56 - Southeast Asia should not copy China nor the US 2:12:51 - Message to young generations