Karmveer singh sec (a)

Why eastern countries are called as eastern

and western countries are called as western?

Submitted To:Prof. VINITA SRIVASTAVA

Submitted By:Karmveer singh

PGDM (2012-2014)Sec- ‘A’

EASTERN COUNTRIES:The term Eastern world refers very broadly to the various cultures or social structures andphilosophical systems of Asia or geographically the Eastern cultures. This includes the Indian subcontinent (comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, theMaldives, and Nepal), the Far East (comprising Russia, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia,Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea), West Asia (Syria,Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen) and Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan,Afghanistan, and Kyrgyzstan).The division between "East" and west is a product of European cultural history, and of the distinction between European Christendom and the cultures beyond it to the East. With the European invasion of the Americas the East/West distinction became global. The concept of an Eastern, "Indian" (Indies) or "Oriental" sphere was emphasized by ideas of racial as well as religious and cultural differences. Such distinctions were articulated by Westerners in the scholarly tradition known as Orientalism and Indology. People from the East are known by certain regions in the West as "Oriental". During the Cold War, the term "Eastern world" was sometimes used as an extension of Eastern bloc, connoting the Soviet Union, China and their communist allies, while the term "Western world" often connoted theUnited States and its NATO allies such as the United Kingdom. The concept is often another term for the Far East—a region that bears considerable cultural and religious commonality. Eastern philosophy, art, literature, and other traditions, are often found throughout the region in places of high importance, such as popular culture, architecture and traditional literature. The spread ofBuddhism and Hindu Yoga is partly responsible for this.

East vs WestIn Saudi Arabia, the term “western”, tends to mean something or someone emanating from the UK, the US, continental Europe and the antipodes. In the eyes of westerners, western expertise means best practice. Western technology is about inventiveness, reliability and superiority over other technologies. We think of Japanese technology as “honorary western” in this regard.For many Saudis western means expensive, admired and coveted, but resented for the taint of cultural, political and economic imperialism.Today, Saudi Arabia is increasingly looking east – for manpower, technology and manufactured goods. 25 years ago, Japan excepted, the main import from countries east of the Kingdom was labour: Baluchis to sweep the streets, Koreans to build the airports, Keralans to make the tea. What has changed is that the Saudis look east for knowledge and skills that come at half the price of those available in the west: software engineers from India, education and e-learning expertise from Malaysia and engineers from Korea.The exodus of westerners in the wake of the terrorist attacks of 2003 created a vacuum which the newly-prosperous far eastern countries happily filled. When western compounds were attacked, and British and American expatriates were murdered in the streets and in their offices, the number of westerners working in the Kingdom halved. The Saudis replaced them with technical experts from India and the Far East, and with managers from their own ranks.The attitude of a Malaysian training manager I spoke to recently is revealing. “In the old days we in Malaysia looked up to Britain as our former colonial masters and as the leading nation of the Commonwealth. We looked for investment and for Britain’s help in making us more technically self-sufficient, and that help never came. So we looked east, and drew inspiration from Japan. Matathir Mohammed (the Malaysian Prime Minister of the time) adopted a policy based on the industrial philosophy of Japan, and with our new oil wealth we invested in infrastructure, education and technical expertise we developed the country in a way that owes nothing to the west. As a Muslim country we have natural empathy with the culture of Saudi Arabia, and this is why people like me are working here in place of people like you.”He did not of course mention that the cost of an American or British manager is about three times that of a Malaysian equivalent.

The Eastern Origins of Western CivilizationChapter 4 - The East Remains

Dominant:the twin myths of oriental despotism and

isolationismin India, South-east Asia and Japan

The East over the West, 1200-1800

Proof that the East was ahead of Europe in economics, trading, and standard of living

Statistics & (Paul Bairoch) Data

Eastern income was 220% of Western in 1750 West only got ahead in 1870

Eurocentric scholars focused on per capita income Population differences

The decline of the Eastern economy was explained by colonial exploitation

1750 - World manufacturing output: East contributed 77% West contributed only 23%

East Ahead in Global Economy

High European demand for Asian products Low Asian demands for European products Europe sent bullion exports to make up

difference Bullion: gold or silver not in coin form

Europe had trading deficits with other powers besides Asia

The twin myths of Indian isolationism and oriental

despotism

Examples disproving the myths

Key Terms

Oriental despotism: single authority ruling with absolute power (depicted as brutal)

Isolationism: characterized by: legal barriers to control trade and exchanges

avoidance of alliances & wars with other nations

The Indian state as growth permissive:

anti-Eurocentric propositions

The Mughal state did not crush capitalism Especially supported Gujarati merchants,

granted autonomy Support of traders increased trade in India—

esp. Surat area Mughal rulers promoted peace (esp. with

Persian Shahs & Uzbeck Khans) to maintain trade relations

Map of the State of Gujarat (including Surat)

The Indian state as growth permissive:

anti-Eurocentric propositions Merchants became extremely wealthy Low tariffs on foreign trade & local transit Claims about scale of Indian trade before

colonization proven false: Not only luxury goods, textiles made for mass

market Pulses, wheat, rice, oil traded throughout

Indian Ocean Trade not only by town merchants

(banians), but also by long-distance merchants (banjaras)

Goods of the Trade

The Indian state as growth permissive:

anti-Eurocentric propositions

India was not isolated from international trade Complementary role in Indian Ocean trading system Indian villages linked to global economy

Indian economy: great levels of productive power Major Brit. Industrial Revo. industries: cotton & steel/iron However, up to 18th century, India actually led the way Produced Wootz steel - exported to Persia - become famous

Damascus (Damask) steel Indian steel was cheaper & superior to steel produced

elsewhere Foremost cotton-textile producer; also produced silk textiles

Khaki, pyjama, sash, shawl

A South-east Asian appendix

Eurocentric View/Claims Eastern Support/Justification

Eurocentrism reduces: South-east Asia to Straits of MelakaMelaka to an appendix in mainstream Western trade

Viewed merely as a transit point between Europe & China Melaka was allegedly dominated by Portuguese after 1511 & Dutch after 1641

Region involved in trade & expeditions that go back to early yrs. of common era

Kingdom of Srivijaya in Sumatra – global economy Voyages of Chinese (Muslim) admiral Cheng Ho

Portuguese & Dutch: unable to monopolize South-east Asian trade

Silk Road

Series of trade routes connecting the East and West – cultural & intellectual interactions

Indian Ocean Trade Routes

The myth of Japanese oriental despotism and

isolationism: Japan as an ‘early developer’, 1600-1868

Even though Eurocentrics portray Japan as a backwards country, Japanese economic

growth rates that were experienced in the post-1868 Meiji period exceeded those of

almost all the European economies.Much of the relative ease of the Meiji

achievement is now attributed to the start which that the Tokugawa gave it.

How it all really began in Japan: economic dynamism in the Tokugawa

era, 1603-1868 Tokugawa enjoyed per capita income growth Japanese enjoyed high living standards Significant growth rate in agricultural production The Tokugawa state sought to undermine the

power of the samurai Castle towns caused rapid development & rapid

commercialization Credit institutions

Advancement of Industry Proto-industrialization

Fishing, textiles, paper making, sake & soy sauce brewing, iron & other metalworking, agricultural and marine product processing

Japanese Industry: Goods & Professions

The myth of Japanese isolationism:

the post-1639 continuation of foreign trade

Myth: Japan withdrew and became isolated from international trade

The policy of Sakoku taken too literally State sought to regulate foreign trade

Tokugawa fundamentally committed to maintaining trade Eradicate influence of Catholic Christian ideas

Japan’s desire to counter the dominance of Chinese rather than Western merchants

ConclusionEurocentric ideas have influenced many viewpoints

and attitudes of nations & historical events, but through the strong verifications presented, one

can see that the East was more dominant & independent than it was accredited for.

Of course, Eurocentrism is one point of view; this

source is still one point of view as well…

Looking at the world through one perspective leads to subjective views and claims.

In order to learn about the world as a whole, you must see the world as a whole.