By Dhruv Makhija
The technology of the 21st century is something that could not be envisioned as far back as even 50 years ago. To transport the disruptive technology of today into the 18th century is a revolutionary idea that has no limits to the possibilities. Imagine a reality where the countless Indo-British wars were fought with the advanced technology of today, imagine the industrial revolution and all its benefits being multiplied by unlimited magnitudes thanks to the already existing technology that has the capability to change the world. A world where today's advancement level is reached in the 18th century can be the blessing of a lifetime or it can be humanity's worst nightmare.
The possibilities are endless but is this alternate timeline completely without inequities that need rectification? The short answer would be no. We live in a world where fully automated machines and artificial intelligence is a reality. To think of a timeline where this technology already existed in the 18th century is a concept that piques the interest of many. It would lead to countless different events that shaped our present happening differently than they did. It would lead to technology accompanying the disastrous ambition that led to two wars that caused millions of lives to be lost and in turn it would turn that figure into billions which is a horrifying thought. Modern technology would also lead to advancement in science and medicine. It would rid the world of some major problems or would help it avoid them altogether. Like a coin has two sides, the existence of modern technology in the 18th century would also have both benefits that would serve as a launching pad and further the trajectory of human advancement or disadvantages that would grab mankind by the throat and bring it an edge closer to doom and complete and utter destruction.
An event that would be greatly impacted by the technology of today would be the event that changed the course of humanity and set it on its path of advancement. The Industrial Revolution- an event that led to modern production methods, increased output and changed the world from 1760-1840.(https://www.britannica.com) The existence of AI or artificial intelligence during the Industrial Revolution would lead to humanity achieving levels of advancement that it has not even reached until now. This means that we would at this point be almost 400 years ahead of where we are. This advancement would increase employment and raise the quality of life for countless. It would ensure craftsmanship that would be a bar none. Automated machines working hand in hand with the labourers in the 1800s would lead to the impact of the Industrial Revolution being even greater. The advancement process would have skyrocketed and the Industrial Revolution would have altered humanity's course even more so than it already did which in itself is a fact that is mind numbing. The general public would also have quickly learnt about the usage of this modern technology and it would also lead to generation of more opportunities. Imagining self employment and the entrepreneurship wave in the 18th or 19th century is close to impossible but had it happened it would have benefited the world in more ways than we can count leading to much better life and daily routines for the general public as whole.
The technology of today would also enable doctors back in the 18th century to treat their patients much more efficiently. Advancement in the field of medicine would truly be revolutionary and would not only increase the life expectancy of people but would also help us combat some deadly pandemics better. The Spanish Flu of 1918-1920 which caused an approximate of 100 million deaths around the world, could have been much less devastating had we had the technology we possess today.(https://www.archives.gov) Millions of lives could've been saved which would've in turn prevented the depressions that the global economy had to enter as a consequence of these dreaded events. All in all the Spanish Flu and many more deadly diseases of the same nature could have been handled much more efficiently and could have even been prevented had modern technology played a part. Countless human lives would have been saved and humanity would not have reached a standstill as it did. Surgeries and transplants being performed as seamlessly as they are done now would have certainly ensured that many of our ancestors lived to a ripe age. Diseases could have been easily identified and the condition of the patients could have been monitored easily at regular intervals owing to the advanced technology. Having cure for diseases like dengue,malaria and even cancer in a time when they were not even named would have been truly boom-like for the human race.
The presence of today's technology would ensure advancement in the field of education as well. It would be playing a huge part in changing the public opinion. The societal inequalities and caste discrimination would indeed be on a downward trend. The moral compass would find a renewal in part to everyone getting access to knowledge which was beyond comprehension in the 18th century. This knowledge would lead to even more advancement which would generate a generation well adapted to modern technology. This knowledge would also lead to myths and superstitions that were prevalent in the 18th century being busted leading to those wrongly affected by them being saved. This would indeed be a blessing for the general public. In India for example the rigid patriarchal society that existed would have learnt to respect and treat women as equals and this would have led to development beyond comprehension in the 18th or 19th century thereby benefiting not just the hypothetical present but also the future in innumerable intangible ways. Einstein correctly said, “Education is not the learning of facts but the training of the mind to think.” To even think what geniuses like Edison and Einstein could have done had they had access to modern day technology is a scenario that has countless possibilities. It basically adds another 100 years to their research because what they accomplished during their lifespan would already be at their disposal. Safe to say major developments would have taken place owing to the use of technology by these genius minds.
However, today's disruptive technology in the 18th or 19th century is also a horrifying scenario for a few reasons. Imagining the multiple Indo-British tussles being fought with the help of today's technology is a spine chilling thought. Needless to say the war would also be a war of information as the presence of today's technology would ensure country's target each other in wars where it would hurt the most- confidential information. In a time where every major political power was puffing their chest on their military supremacy and were constantly engaging in wars to occupy territories, advanced and modern weapons would have ensured an even greater level of destruction and would have caused deaths beyond calculation. This disadvantage of modern technology being present in the 18th century is not a disadvantage due to the namesake; it is a blot on human nature. It shows how mankind somehow finds a way to make even the most beneficial technology destructive.
With the decrease in the cases of caste based discrimination due to the modern mindset which would be offset by the modern technology, there would be another debate sparked on countless other issues like the benefits and harms of AI, the arguments regarding nuclear weapons and the list goes on and on. The same knowledge and advancement that would've ended the already existing conflicts would've brought with it a new set of conflicts for humans of the 18th century to argue about. These new conflicts could have had disastrous effects. AI taking over jobs of humans would have sparked a conflict on whether or not it should be used to the extent it would have been. There would be a section in support of AI usage and there would be workers who would oppose it. This conflict could easily turn violent and lead to riots or worse. Where modern technology would have reduced problems that would have a greater impact it would have also created entirely new problems whose impact is immeasurable due to the fictional nature of this hypothetical universe but is certainly not favourable for human development.
Nature- the cradle that humanity depended much more upon back in the 18th century would certainly have the short end of the stick when it comes to consequences of the modernization in the 18th century itself. The more we step towards achieving our advancement goals, the more we harm mother nature. In the present day, ozone layer holes, deforestation and global warming are problems that are predicted to only get worse if we do not do something about them. This is a byproduct of our advanced technology itself. Transporting this technology back to the 18th century would also lead to these problems coming into existence 200 years earlier than they did. Ecosystems would be destroyed as pollution would run rampant owing to the advancement that humanity would introduce. This side effect of advancement would also go hand in hand with modernization in the 18th century. This would lead to people losing the connection they used to with mother nature in the 18th century and nature would become the scapegoat for human success and prosperity. This success would be short lived as when man takes from nature to a certain degree, nature is left with nothing more to give. We could have exhausted our resources by the time the 2000s would have arrived had we had the modern technology that we do in the 18th century. This could have caused a calamitic situation and would have led to humanity being too close to extinction which in itself is a thought that makes the bravest cower.
Along with nature bearing innumerable side effects one key point to keep in mind is also the effect of modern technology on people's health. No doubt the advancement in medicine would save millions of lives. But in an age where content is unlimited and in an 18th century where mobile phones and social media exist, the mental health of the young would be severely affected. We have only scratched the surface of the ill effects of technology on the human brain when we bring the topics of doom scrolling,depression, anxiety into question. These have a correlation with each other and also with the technology we use today. In this alternate 18th century where modern day technology exists, there would be similar outcomes. Outcomes which would then worsen with the moving wheel of time leading to this alternate future being a future of doom and gloom.
It is a risky experiment to think of a time when colonialism was extremely prevalent having modern technology. It is horrifying to think what would've been had the countless territorial wars that existed in the time of monarchy had the advanced weapons of today. However it also would have been ideal had we had the marvels of modern medicine at the time of an epidemic like Spanish Flu. Modern technology would have propelled mankind even further by multiplying the benefits of the Industrial Revolution. It would also lead to communication becoming seamless in a time when this advancement was sorely needed. This could have changed the course of history for the better and would have led to humanity experiencing a period of unimaginable growth. However, keeping in mind the already mentioned ill effects it is safe to say that man could have also caused its own destruction by the use of advanced weapons and technology. There would have been a clash of ideals and history as we know it would be much more different. The disruptive technology of today would truly be revolutionary 200 years ago and for the worse or for the better it would significantly alter our lives.
The world 200 years ago but with today's technology can be easily summed up in these lines,
“No parchment scrolls but tablets held,
In the hands of thinkers, stories are spelled.
A symphony of data, an age transformed,
In the 18th century, where tech was warmed.
The printing press hums with a silicon heart,
Knowledge flows, a digital art.
An era bridged by circuits and steam,
18th-century dreams in a tech-fueled stream.”
By Dhruv Makhija
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