Non-Eurocentric View of Modernity

Introduction

The narrative of modernity’s origins that has been considered for many years to be the Eurocentric one must be challenged by exploring the significant contributions that non-European civilizations, such as the Mongolian Empire, made to the creation of world history. In contrast to Roberts’ statement that the history of modernity started in Europe, this perspective is a symmetric problem. The Mongolian Empire crossed much territory in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, and gave rise to intercultural dialogue, economic integration, and technological development. The trade networks that it (Silk Route) handled stimulated the movement of ideas, products, and technologies from eastern to western territories, which nurtured a lively exchange that later led to the kind of world we are experiencing today, wherein everything is connected. Thus, the existence of indigenous civilizations outside Europe, which drove the process of modernity, must be addressed. Many of them can be found in the works of historians, most of which pertain to the Mongolian Empire, which greatly influenced the formation of the world’s history.

Warren I. Cohen’s “East Asia at the Center – Four Thousand Years of Engagement with the World” demonstrates many intense exchanges and encounters between East Asia and the larger world since ancient times. This is a case in point since, in many ways, traditional historiography conceived of Europe as the only factor contributing to the development of modernity. The case of the Mongolian Empire is a striking example of its role in linking East Asia with Europe and the Middle East through its extensive trade route system, the famous Silk Road (Cohen 142). This enabled the transfer of items, ideas, and cultures across the globe, creating modern societies much bigger than the isolated initially European ones. Cohen, among others, reveals the inter-relatedness of civilizations and the multi-dimensional impacts that shape the way modernity has been formed, thus, the need for a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to exploring the birthplace of modernity.

Amy Chua’s “Day of Empire: “Superpowers: The Rise and Fall of the Global Dominance” also emphasizes the significance of expanding the story of modernity to the non-European power. Through the study of the rise of hyperpowers (those wielding sway over large parts of both the lands and the people) from various regions during different periods, Chua deserts the Eurocentric notion. Chua supports her theory with an example of the Mongolian Empire, which indicates that hyperpowers, like the Mongolian Empire, greatly influence the history of the world (Chua 102). The Mongolian Empire, the largest land empire founded by Genghis Khan, best fits this definition. Its technological might, bureaucratic reforms, and cultural intercourse profoundly shaped the trends of world history.

Order a well-written high-quality paper now!

Cohen’s “East Asia At the Center – Four Thousand Years of Engagement With the World” is another book that adds knowledge to Chua’s words. One of Cohen’s focus points is the long-time and extensive exchanges and trade between East Asia and other regions. The work focuses on China’s and other East Asian cultures’ central role in forming global history, and this work challenges the idea that modernity has its origins in Western thought. Cohen and Chua’s approaches to this issue highlight the need to acknowledge the role of other civilizations, not limited to Europeans. Therefore, we learn deeply about the most complex and varied influences in the present highly structured world. (Chua, 124)

Moreover, its influence surpassed military power, expanding well beyond its borders. As pointed out by Warren I. Cohen in “East Asia At the Center – Four Thousand Years of Engagement With the World,” even during its history, East Asia has been engaged with the rest of the world through vast trade and cultural exchanges. Cohen’s work is the underlying theme of the prominent role of East Asia in moulding global history and arguing that modernity is just an offshoot of Europe. Amy Chua, in “Day of Empire: While Hegel’s “The Configuration of Hyperpowers and the Cause of their Rise to Global Dominance and Decline,” explains the issue in more detail, focusing on the emergence of hyperpowers from regions such as Eastern Asia throughout history. Chua (p. 119) quotes hyperpowers like the Mongolian Empire as the ones that have been influenced and overruled by their influence on vast territories and people, hence the interconnectedness of civilizations.

Trade facilitation, propagation of reli