Historical concept of international relations Flashcards
Role of European colonialism in shaping the ‘West’
-European colonialism played a central role in the formation of the ‘West’ as a coherent global entity
-Empire-building and colonialism were closely connected to this process
Other developments contributing to the rise of the ‘West’
The establishment of sovereign states with strong central governments in the 16th and 17th centuries
This political development brought stability, fostering technological innovation and economic development
Understanding ‘the West’
-‘The West’ has dual meanings: a general sense referring to Europe’s cultural and philosophical inheritance, and a narrower sense referring to the US-dominated capitalist bloc during the Cold War
-The relevance of the latter meaning diminished with the end of the Cold War
-The value of the former meaning has been questioned due to political and other divisions among so-called Western powers
Imperialism and European Control
-Europe’s influence on the world was expanded through imperialism
Imperialism intensified during the late 19th century
-The “scramble for colonies” was focused on Africa
-By the early 20th century, much of the world was under European control
British, French, Belgian, and Dutch empires controlled almost one-third of the world’s population
Economic Globalization
-The late 19th century saw levels of economic globalization comparable to the contemporary period
-International trade was as important as it was in the late 20th century
-The United Kingdom, the world’s leading imperial power at the time, was highly dependent on trade
Concept of Imperialism
-Imperialism involves extending the power or rule of a state beyond its boundaries
It can be achieved through political, military, and/or economic control
-In its traditional form, imperialism includes political domination and colonialism
-Modern imperialism may involve economic domination without political control
Technological Advancements
-Transport and communication technologies, such as steam-powered shipping, railroads, and telegraph, facilitated global flows of goods, capital, and people
-These technologies resulted from the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century
Colonialism and Capitalism
-Colonialism was central to the development of capitalism
Slavery persisted as part of the capitalist world economy for over 300 years
-The trade in forced human labor from Africa and the New World complemented the emergence of wage-labor and industrialization in Europe
Eurocentrism and Western Historians
-Narratives of this historical period often depict the rise of the West as an intrinsic European or Western achievement
-This Eurocentric perspective is called the “founding myth” and overlooks social realities and global influences
-External factors like colonial encounters, international trade, and non-Western philosophers influenced world development
Centers of Power Outside of Europe
-China’s Qing Dynasty was a thriving political and cultural power during this period
-China had a market economy separate from Europe and was dominated by Confucianism
What led to to the mass societies during the 19th century industralisation and imperism
The 19th-century industrialization and imperialism led to mass societies due to mass production and urbanization.
