WORLDVIEW: History matters in business – witness Opium Wars, dead Ndebele warriors.

By Alec Hogg.A statement yesterday from Ivanhoe Mines's Platreefs project caught my eye. Not just because of its hypocrisy, but for a deeper reflection of how our perspectives of history influence the way we see things – even in business..The R20bn Platreefs development has been held up by a small group of activists led by Limpopo shopkeeper Aubrey Langa. He has numerous objections but mainly wants to stop the Canadian-based company "relocating" a graveyard of long-dead Ndebele warriors..___STEADY_PAYWALL___.Langa won the first round when granted an interim interdict by the North Gauteng High Court. But yesterday, Platreefs trumpeted, that was overturned by Judge John Murphy in Pretoria's Palace of Justice, site of 1963's Rivonia Trial of Nelson Mandela and nine others..An exuberant Ivanhoe referred to Langa's "criminal record". Which is like throwing stones in a glass house. Sure, Langa got into some trouble as a youth. But Ivanhoe's founder Robert Friedland is, well, a lot more colourful. A masterful story-teller, his speciality is getting investors to part with their money, often leaving them with little to show for it..Part of the Friedland spiel is his claim, true, that he was a guru to the young Steve Jobs. But what it omits is that Jobs told his biographer Walter Isaacson: "Robert always portrayed himself as a spiritual person, but he crossed the line from being charismatic to being a con man." On page 40 in the Jobs biography if you want to double check. Nice baby our Robert..As relevant is Platreefs' sweeping dismissal of Langa's concern over the graves. For the company, most important are the 5,000 jobs it says the mine will create. In typical profit-first style, the company focuses on tomorrow, giving minimal importance to yesterday. Langa, and those like him, revere the memory and cherish spirits who have passed..That disconnect is also an important reason why so many Westerners don't "get" China. You'd be hard pressed to find an American businessman who can recall the Opium Wars of the 1840s. But for an ancient culture like China's, they are a fresh memory of a mere 177 years ago. For the Middle Kingdom it is a telling example of why not to trust Westerners. A perception Trump helped by tearing up the long-negotiated Trans-Pacific Partnership..The Chinese have a point. In the first half of the 19th century, the British East India Company made fortunes exporting drugs into China, specifically opium. When the reluctant host Government tried to ban drug trafficking, Britain declared war in the name of "free trade"..Superior technology saw it prevail against the numerically superior Chinese and terms of surrender were harsh. Not only allow was drug trafficking reinstated, but China was forced to compensate for losses. The British also demanded and got control of Hong Kong, the territory only getting handed back in 1997. By 1900, China had a staggering 40m opium addicts – 10% of its population. Understanding history is the best way to understand seemingly irrational behaviour. It also helps us avoid repeating mistakes.

WORLDVIEW: History matters in business – witness Opium Wars, dead Ndebele warriors.

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