The Silk Road. Historical review.
The famous Silk Road is a general name of unique trans-Asian caravan trade routes, which existed from II century B.C. to XVI century A.D. The Route was more than 13 thousand kilometers long. The path took the huge steppe area of Eurasian continent and connected China, India, Persia with Byzantium, Rome, Kyiv Russ, and the whole Europe.
The Silk Road passed through the South and West Arabia and maintained trade relationships between Far East, Mediterranean and Europe.
The Silk Road was named after the main goods, which was traded all over the world. It was Chinese silk. Settlements with stocks and inns, where the trade took place and artisans were settled, appeared near the caravan routes. The defense of such settlements was required. Nomads provided caravans with different necessary agricultural utensils, livestock, guides, armed guards and got taxes for crossing their territory.
There was a struggle for advantage in intermediary trade between Rome and Parthia at the start of The Silk Road existence. In V-VI centuries its significant part belonged to Iranian and Sogdian merchants. After Arab Caliphate creation (VII century) it belonged to Arabians.
The Silk Road promoted strengthening and extension of trade and cultural relationships between Asia and Europe peoples. It also functioned as a regular diplomatic artery. In XIV century its influence went down because of seafaring development.
The Silk Road got its new breath in 1998 in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. There was a conference, which was named as “The revival of the ancient Silk Road”, which was related to “Europe-Caucasus-Asia” transport route adjustment and GUAM Headquarters creation in Kiev, Ukraine.
The Silk Road connects two continents (Europe and Asia) and harmonizes relationships between peoples. It is not only a symbol of a route as a category of space.
We should also remember that Ukrainian people is indigenous citizens on the Eurasian territory. Furthermore, the main overland route from Asia to Europe is passing through Ukraine. And also the heart of the Earth – Great Aryan – consists of Carpathians, Caucasus, Altai, Turkestan, Pamir, Gobi, Tibet.
What is the direction or what are the directions of the big society development?
Where does it go? Where is its destination? Who is interested in this route?
And the most important: does it have future?
These issues have not been considered in the last few years. It seems that taboo had been imposed on them.
But it is very important to know what will happen and what can happen to everyone.
It would be weird when somebody didn’t understand where he was going, while he was sitting on the plane or in any other transport. However, it is an example of what happens to a human being. Moreover, it happens when crisis, regional and global problems exist and strengthen, so coping with them is a very hard task for a single person. For example:
1. Pollution, global crisis of earth and water resources and clusters of cities.
2. Raw material and energy crisis and population explosion.
3. Increasing spiritual weakness of the majority of population, imbalance between human and natural systems and environmental degradation.
4. The growth of military conflicts, the spread of international terrorism, global trade wars and money laundering.
5. The spread of genetically modified foods, outbreaks of infectious diseases and activation of biologically programmed person defects.
6. Inter-confessional confrontations and migration increase.
7. Global inequality and social injustice.
8. The “third world” isolation from the global technology advancements and the threat of “controlled society”.
9. Extremely high increase of the Earth radiation background and its effect on deep “breathing” of the planet.
10. “Ozone Holes” and global warming.
Finally, what routes lead to the real future?
Which keys and possible mechanisms for implementation can be used for opening the future?