What was the significance of Wootz steel in the world economy?
First we have to dive in the history, and ask the question; why one material has any significance in world economy?
When we talk about world or global economy, we have to analyse which era we are considering for our discussion.
Here the second word of the question (Was) set us to talk and think in past era.
To go in the past era we again find seventh word of the question (steel) which guides us exactly in the direction of Iron Age only. (Because steel is just a compound of iron)
When we dip in the Iron Age we found three type of dominating economies in the world.
We will put them in chronological order of human evolution.
First was nomadic economy
Second was pirate economy and
Third was agrarian economy.
We also analyse each economy considering their primary motivations.
As per Theory of Human Motivation by Abraham Maslow proposed in 1943, as a pyramid with physiological needs at the bottom and self-actualization at the top. Maslow suggested that humans work through the pyramid from the bottom to the top – as one need is satisfied, the next need is raised.
Now we dig a bit in nomadic economy.
Here consistent migration is the significant fact of economy. If we settle for a hunt in a single place we’re pray population will decrease proportionately to our consumption.
If we depend upon herbivores animals (goats, sheep, cattle, horses, camels etc.) the posture will deteriorate proportionate to the population of grazing animals. (If number is small, economic growth will stagnate)
If we trade with same people our competitive advantage will deteriorate the moment our peer explore the same source (either of buy or sale)
Because of that, consistent exploration is the norm of economic growth.
Here Abraham Maslow’s pyramid’s first two
1.
Physiological – food, water, and shelter. Strong needs which force humans to think of little else when they are in discomfort.
2.
Safety – personal or job security. These needs appear once physiological needs are satisfied.
Now we dig a bit in pirate economy
If we keep continuance with particular place our pray will find ways to circumvent us.
If we consistently loot single territory; just like our trade example our subsequent mission will be marred by our peers.
So here also consistent forward move will let us in the premises of economic growth.
Here Abraham Maslow’s pyramid’s third and fourth
3.
Social – the need to belong to a club or a family gives meaning, love and affection, and staves off loneliness and depression.
4.
Esteem – humans need to respect themselves and have others respect them. They do this through their achievements and position in communities
Now we dig a bit in agrarian economy
In agrarian system understanding our micro climate is the only way to sustain and grow economically.
Earth surface is so vast and average life of human is so short that one generation could not claim to know all the variables of nature.
Responding a single variant wrongly deteriorate almost entirely our agricultural harvest or sustenance of economy.
Here Abraham Maslow’s pyramid’s apex
Self-actualization – humans want to do what they were born to do, realise their potential, and feel fulfilled.
By understanding these contemporary motives behind economic variants of Iron Age; now we move towards fundamental question of what is significance
In the Iron Age we evolved to centralized administrations and political structures, hierarchical ideologies, depersonalized systems of knowledge (e.g., writing), and property ownership. Personal, land and private property ownership led to hierarchical society, class struggle and armies.
History is written by societies on the periphery of the migrating peoples, or by their descendants who have given up the nomadic way of life.
Iron Age has low chronological value, because it did not begin simultaneously across the entire world. The dates and context vary depending on the region, and the sequence of ages is not necessarily true for every part of the earth's surface.
When we migrate consistently in lieu of more safety, security, fodder, loot, or whatever pursuit the Sustainability of wealth consistently deteriorates. (Causes: theft/ loot lack of goodwill/ recognition/ skill etc.)
In the process of continuous migration we definitely accumulate much wealth.
In the scenario of migration all the wealth is moving along with us.
The moment someone cut our throat the wealth belongs to the person who cut our throat. (In that era password, signature and sale agreement registration was not the method of property transaction)
Dagger of Bronze Age is just weapon of deceive-fight to change the ownership of wealth. But they could not protect us against openly attacking opponent.
Here the dilemma is; by our entire life’s labour; sweat and blood we created whatever wealth is just have less value than a tool which could protect us from open attacker at arm length; in front of us.
In one to one combat, chances of win will disappear at the moment either our sword broke or edge bent. (Ordinary iron has specific quality of brittleness if hardened much or mildness if softened much in its making process)
To assure ourselves fearless owner of our wealth, we have to search a material which has properties of supreme hardness, extreme flexibility and strength to cope with all type of uncertainties triggering in life threatening situations.
It should also status symbol, demonstrating the our power and self-esteem, whilst raising us in the esteem of others. It should also give us a community too, along with a sense of belonging and social satisfaction.
We definitely value our all the wealth significantly less than this type of tool. (we may be heard about Just like an apple product, nano-material, nano-fibre carbon nanotubes etc.)
To make such reliable tool (Sword) we need a material of durability and ability to hold an edge with above mentioned qualities.
Take just one example to understand the significance.
One guy most easily we could recognize is the founder of
Alexandria (which hosting one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World with 4,546,231 Population in February, 2013) named Alexander the Great.
Reference from
Wikipedia
When asked by King Porus to select a gift, Alexander is said to have chosen, over gold or silver, thirty pounds of steel
And that material was Wootz steel
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wootz_steel
http://www.social-psychology.de/do/pt_maslow.pdf