The origins of capitalism and the "rise of the West" / Eric H. Mielants.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mielants, Eric.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Capitalism.

Civilization, Western.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (256 p.)

Edition:

2nd ed.

Place of Publication:

Philadelphia : Temple University Press, 2007.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

In this study, Eric Mielants provides a novel interdisciplinary interpretation of the origins of modernity and capitalism in particular. He argues that contrary to popular thinking, the Rise of the West should not be analyzed in terms of the Industrial Revolution or the colonization of the New World, but viewed from long-term developments that occurred in the Middle Ages. A fascinating overview of different civilizations in East Asia, South Asia, and Northwestern Africa is provided and systematically compared and contrasted with Western Europe. This book addresses some of the major debate

Contents:

Perspectives on the origins of merchant capitalism in Europe

Orthodox Marxism

Brennerism (or the Brenner approach)

The modernization theory

World-systems analysis

The inter-city-state system of the Middle Ages

Tentative conclusions

The political economies of China and Europe compared

The Chinese socioeconomic revolution during the Sung dynasty (circa 900-1280)

China and the Mongols

Ming China and Europe : divergent paths

Conclusions vis-a-vis European capitalism

The political economies of South Asia and Europe compared

Trade and commodity flows in the South Asian region

States and state structures in South Asia

The strategies of elites in South Asia and Europe

The impact of the perilous frontier

Conclusions

The political economies of Western Europe and Northern Africa compared

Northern Africa and the Sudanic states (circa 1200-1500)

North African cities, states, and the balance of power in the Mediterranean

Conclusion : Was the Western-European city-state in the Middle Ages a European miracle?

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [163]-236) and index.

ISBN:

9786611151256

9781281151254

1281151254

9781592135776

1592135773

OCLC:

476125290