Eastern Origins of Western Civilisation by John M. Hobson

From: Rakesh Bhandari (rakeshb@STANFORD.EDU)
Date: Thu Jul 15 2004 - 19:32:23 EDT


Seemingly scathing towards Marx's ideas about the Asiatic Mode of
Production while not unsympathetic to Marxist historical studies
(Habib, Needham) and radical institutional ones such as Inikori's and
Pomeranz's, this book by John Hobson's great grandson will probably
prove an interesting read indeed.

Eastern Origins of Western Civilisation
John M. Hobson

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Paperback, June 2004
Other Formats: Hardcover
  List Price:   $29.99
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Product Details:
ISBN: 0521547245
Format: Paperback, 392pp
Pub. Date: June 2004    Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Barnes & Noble Sales Rank: 110,849
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ABOUT THE BOOK
  From the Publisher
ABOUT THE BOOK
  Eastern Origins of Western Civilisation
  From the Publisher
John Hobson challenges the ethnocentric bias of mainstream accounts
of the Rise of the West. It is often assumed that since Ancient Greek
times Europeans have pioneered their own development, and that the
East has been a passive by-stander in the story of progressive world
history. Hobson argues that there were two processes that enabled the
Rise of the 'Oriental West'. First, each major developmental turning
point in Europe was informed in large part by the assimilation of
Eastern inventions (e.g. ideas, technologies and institutions) which
diffused from the more advanced East across the Eastern-led global
economy between 500-1800. Second, the construction of European
identity after 1453 led to imperialism, through which Europeans
appropriated many Eastern resources (land, labour and markets).
Hobson's book thus propels the hitherto marginalised Eastern peoples
to the forefront of the story of progress in world history.


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