Historical context of 2020 Coronavirus: Continuity of epidemic diseases in human history

As a man studying history, I could help myself from giving some insight into this coronavirus crisis. I am convinced that human beings have ushered in a new age when we will confront another tide of crisis on biological aspect. Deadly epidemic diseases, seemingly rare in our day -to- day life , actually have harassed humans since pre-modern time.

When the powerful Mongol Empire, in the 13th century, for the first time connected Europe and Asia after his overwhelming military conquest. Ushering the age of Pax Mongolica , Mongols forced Europe into an unprecedented human interaction, reinvigorating Silk Road into its third golden age . Intense interaction brought disease such as bubonic plague, sending Europe into a more cataclysmic age than the Middle Ages they had just put to an end — Black Death. One third of the European population was wiped out. This was probably the first large-scale epidemic disease crisis human beings suffered from. As many people have argued, I think it is legitimate to identify this crisis to a fortuitous and natural consequence of intensified human interaction as well as the price we had to take to initiate subsequent modernization. Maybe it was exclusively a bad luck, but maybe it wasn’t.

History, believe it or not, is not all about coincidence and luck, instead it develops in accord with a certain pattern between human activities and nature’s responses. Looking around the world now we live in, we know that we can’t have this kind of standard without Industrialization and Scientific Revolutions. Likewise, although completely transferring our political, economical, and social structure ,rapid industrialization process starting in the late 18th century caused negative impact on humans. Dust in the air was absorbed into human bodies, and in turn triggered respiratory diseases. Since coal and mining industries were the culprit of environmental damages , this time the nature responded to human exploitation with wrath.

As human societies modernize further into the way it looks today, external challenges from diseases are always present- cancer, HIV, and, this time, Coronavirus. In short, diseases related crisis is the overall natural consequence of human activities, including exploitation and can be hardly contained. In another word, it is inevitable. However, my article here is not to convince you there’s no hope at all. On the contrary, what I really want to convey is that we, human beings, have already survived the ordeals in the past for many times with extremely limited medical and scientific knowledge, and we should have faith in what we are capable of. Just like our ancestors in the past centuries, we will resolve this. Knowing that diseases exist and are consistent as long as human activities remain, we need not to panic and be cynical.

This is the natural pattern of history, which will repeat itself in accord with the extent to which human beings develop. As a common citizen, nevertheless, feel obliged to appeal to all my counterparts, urging you all to show the most pious reverence towards our Mother Nature in which we are able to thrive for eternity. Despite my identity as a common citizen, I insist to urge all nations around the globe to ignore bias, hatred, and hostile competitions for now, instead to hold hands in hands together. No more fearless, no more distrust, and no more deliberate mental sequestering. Only together can we survive and thrive !