What the complacent Russians forgot was that their strengths – above all, their technological superiority – were not a permanent monopoly conferred by Providence on people with white skin. There was in fact nothing biological to prevent Asians from adopting Western forms of economic and political organization, nor from replicating Western inventions. The first Asian country to work out how to do so was Japan.
The complacency among Russians stemmed from their belief that their technological superiority was a given, something based on inherent characteristics of their identity. This view overlooked the fact that advancements in technology and organization were not exclusive to any race or ethnicity. The capability to adopt and innovate Western systems was accessible to any nation, regardless of its demographic makeup.
Japan emerged as a prime example of this ability, successfully integrating Western methodologies and inventions into its own systems. This demonstrates that there are no biological barriers to adopting effective economic and political structures, underscoring the potential for growth and change in any society willing to learn and adapt.
