INGS1002 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Fertile Crescent, American Exceptionalism, Killer Application
28 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
1. (Lecture 3) The Origins of the Modern World
- Introduction
• A book which emphasises the effect of contingency, accidents, and
conjunctures
• Four interrelated themes:
▪ - First: When, how and why some parts of the world first
industrialised, and how this industrialisation spread
▪ - Second: The emergence of nation states as the primary
way people organise politically
▪ - Third: The growth of the gap between the wealthiest and
poorest parts of the world and the consequences of such a
gap
▪ - Fourth: The interrelationship between the environmental
context in which those elements of the modern world
emerged and the ways in which peoples actioned have in
turn changed/affected this environment
• 250 years ago, India and China accounted for two thirds of the worlds
economic output (they are not European)
• How did the industry-based economies of Europe come to define the
global market and dominate much more so than the agrarian empires
of China and India
• The most common explanation for European dominance has often
been called the Rise of the West, although this is too exclusive and
inaccurate
• Initial European superiority was attributed to their Christian religion, then,
during the Enlightenment it was credited to secular, rationalist thought
• Nineteenth century European historians were impressed with the relay race of
democracy and secularism from the Greeks, to the Romans, to European
Christians after the Dark Ages
• - Conjunctures A specific point in history in which two or more
independent factors combined to create a moment of historical significance
(Marks)
• - It should be recognised that Europe is not a simple product of the six killer
apps or geography, but a range of conjunctures
• See: Exaption theory
• - What is a Eurocentric version of the origins of the modern world?
• One which emphasises and places disproportionate value on the
history and action of Western Europe
• Only deals with absolutes about Europes achievements
• Fails to acknowledge the impact of many global conjunctures, crediting
Europe with more then it deserves
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
(lecture 3) the origins of the modern world. Introduction (cid:1680: a book which emphasises the effect of contingency, accidents, and conjunctures, four interrelated themes: First: when, how and why some parts of the world first industrialised, and how this industrialisation spread. Second: the emergence of nation states as the primary way people organise politically. Third: the growth of the (cid:1684)gap(cid:1685) between the wealthiest and poorest parts of the world and the consequences of such a gap. Conjunctures (cid:1680) a specific point in history in which two or more independent factors combined to create a moment of historical significance (marks) It should be recognised that europe is not a simple product of the (cid:1684)six killer apps(cid:1685) or geography, but a range of conjunctures: see: exaption theory. Describe the trading circuits of the world around 1300. Such an economy has influenced mainly by changes in climate (cid:1680) humidity, temperature etc. all decided wether or not crops were successful.
