In Beijing

FRENCH sociologist Pierre Bourdieu argued that there are three kinds of capital in any given society: economic, social and cultural. 

An individual, he said, can successfully accumulate economic capital, but that does not automatically ensure his acceptance into the elite circles, unless he also possesses social and cultural capital.

I was reminded of Bourdieu's theory yesterday as I set foot in China for the first time.

China is progressing at a fast pace within a very short time as is evident from the extraordinary display of the accumulation of economic capital. Here is a country seeking to earn its rightful place in the elite circle of the international arena.

But China remains outside of the world's elite powers and we have seen many recent symbolic events designed to acquire social capital.

The sheer superiority of creativity and discipline that went into the organisation of the just-concluded Olympic Games stunned the world. And if that was not enough to impress, it was followed shortly later by China's third manned space mission.

Also, Chinese movies are now making waves on the international screen, with bigger budgets and Hollywood collaborations, effectively marketing Chinese history and culture as rich, exotic and romantic.

But my first impressions at the Beijing international airport yesterday left me wondering if this Asian giant has quite a lot of catching up to do on the cultural capital front.

The modern facade of the airport and the multitude of fashionably clad Chinese were a sharp contrast to the decibel levels emanating from that place. People were screaming at each other or barking into their phones, quite a disjunct from the systematic and orderly fashion of their surroundings.

The hallway was packed with people and crossing it was more difficult than trying to cross the busy Orchard Road during peak hours (at least Orchard Road has speed limits and traffic lights to give pedestrians occassional respite).  

I was almost bowled over the a speeding trolley overloaded with luggage about thrice my size, and my attempts to get into the sky train were met with uncompassionate pushing, shoving and trampling by all those trying to get into the compartment. 

But outside the airport, the meticulously manicured landscape with little flowering plants carefully arranged along the highway, captured my sensibilities, making me forget my earlier ordeal. 

The country is truly speeding along the highway of economic capital, but those of us who have a head start in a developed country may look at it and think they lack social or cultural capital. Nevertheless, knowing China, it will be a relentless chase but the Chinese will surely catch up with all the capitals of the world.