The Eastern Origins Of Western Civilization Editted

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, 1400-1800

Class: Periwinkle

Central and South AsiaJohn Estrella

Alexis FelicianoKate Heaney

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

Straits of Melaka/Malacca

Cheng-Ho’s Expeditions (1405-33)

Cheng Ho’s voyages falsify the assumption that Melaka was only significant after 1511

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.