''The Eastern Origins of Western Civilisation'', written by the political scientist John M. Hobson in 2004, is a

book A book is a structured presentation of recorded information, primarily verbal and graphical, through a medium. Originally physical, electronic books and audiobooks are now existent. Physical books are objects that contain printed material, ...

that argues against the

historical History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some theorists categ ...

theory A theory is a systematic and rational form of abstract thinking about a phenomenon, or the conclusions derived from such thinking. It involves contemplative and logical reasoning, often supported by processes such as observation, experimentation, ...

of the rise of the West after 1492 as a "virgin birth", but rather as a product of Western interactions with a more technically and socially advanced Eastern civilization. The text reinterprets

Eurocentric Eurocentrism (also Eurocentricity or Western-centrism) refers to viewing the West as the center of world events or superior to other cultures. The exact scope of Eurocentrism varies from the entire Western world to just the continent of Euro ...

ideas of Europe's contributions to world development. For example, it provides evidence that a complex system of

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existed long before Mercantilist Europe, that social and economic theories in the Enlightenment came from encounters with new cultures rather than with Greek and Roman heritage, and that modern European hegemony resulted from situational advantages rather than from inherent superior traits.

Key ideas

* Many inventions critical to European progress were Chinese innovations. * Europeans appropriated many Eastern resources such as land, labour and markets through imperialism. * European powers did not create world trade, but rather used American silver to integrate into bustling Indian and Chinese markets. * The belief that European hegemony derived from free trade, reasoned rule, and democracy is a patriotic myth. European powers won trading rights by force, and Britain developed the industrial revolution under harsh regulations. * Cultural movements and ideas were spurred by contact with the outside world, particularly with the East.

Response

A reviewer for the Culture Mandala wrote Hobson's work "complements and builds on the insights of Frank, Braudel and others to illustrate in great detail both how substantial China's historical achievement has been and how much the West has distorted history to serve the purpose of its imperial civilizing mission". John Hall of

McGill University McGill University (French: Université McGill) is an English-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill University, Vol. I. For the Advancement of Learning, ...

, writing in the ''English Historical Review'', asserted that Hobson's work is prone to wild exaggerations and "tends to cite only those parts of an author’s work that agree with his argument, and misses out whole realms of scholarship". Hobson, Hall continues, "tends to give us bad sociology," and his construct of Eurocentrism is "often a straw man." Hall remarks that Hobson makes "odd claims," such as asserting that "

Adam Smith Adam Smith (baptised 1723 – 17 July 1790) was a Scottish economist and philosopher who was a pioneer in the field of political economy and key figure during the Scottish Enlightenment. Seen by some as the "father of economics"——— or ...

depended upon Chinese intellectual discoveries," and that Hobson's "general picture seems to fail".Hall, John A. "Review of The Eastern Origins of Western Civilization". ''English Historical Review'', Vol CXIII No. 495, 2007.

References

External links

*
"East and West,"
Book review by Carroll Quigley

Book review by Carroll Quigley {{DEFAULTSORT:Eastern Origins of Western Civilisation 2004 non-fiction books 21st-century history books Historical revisionism History books about China History books about Europe Works about the theory of history

Key ideas

Response

See also

References

External links