The Hidden Language of the Economic Model

The Industrial Revolution introduced to the world the economic model of machine manufacturing and modern industry in 18th century England. But the Industrial Revolution was more than the effective use of technology. From a solution standpoint, it was also the introduction of a new language. A language that is independent of spoken language yet essential for organizing the environment to facilitate development. Developed countries, including China, are fluent in the language of the economic model and boast thriving economies. Developing countries are not fluent in the language and have relatively stagnant economies.

Unfortunately, the language of the economic model is passively acquired in the cultures of developed countries. It’s not specifically taught in or out of school. But fortunately, the effective expression of the economic model is so commonplace in developed countries and among their diaspora, we conclude and can show that it’s a language which is no more demanding of human intellect than any spoken language. The language is governed by the same ability we use for spoken language. 

Developed countries have not seen their success in this way. Due to dependence on developed countries, developing countries have not seen it either. So, the fact was hidden that developing countries cannot develop no matter how hard they try because what will make the economy work properly is a foreign language with no means to learn it.

This unique worldview is derived from the solution for underdevelopment called The Implicit Curriculum of Higher Education. The solution systematically imparts the language of the economic model with the resources of higher education. Indigenous graduates can then supply the leadership their country needs for real development instead of relying on expatriate managerial leadership that’s in short supply due to high cost.

Conventional education, no matter how good the quality, has proven insufficient for imparting the language of the economic model to post-colonial countries. The evidence is that over many generations, thousands of citizens in these countries have graduated higher education. Yet, underdevelopment remains.

The World Bank report of 2018 examined one dimension of the language of the economic model and its deficit in developing countries. (Although the authors could not have seen it that way and their recommendations have had no effect.) The report is called Learning to Realize Education’s Promise. It notes big differences between developed and developing countries in the quality of learning that takes place in school, as measured by international test results. The report warned of a “learning crisis” or “learning poverty” and concluded that for developing countries, “schooling is not the same as learning.” 

But from a solution standpoint, a more useful conclusion to the World Bank report is that test scores are less a measure of student learning. They are mainly the measure of a student’s ability to accurately interpret and express the foreign language of the economic model. The job of education in developing countries is to impart this language. Since higher education or any formal education does not do that, the Implicit Curriculum must be urgently adopted. 

By Samuel Odunsi Sr., founder of HumanRethink.org. Email: info@humanrethink.org