The Eastern Origins of Western Civilisation

The Eastern Origins of Western Civilisation, written by John M. Hobson in 2004, is a book that argues against the historical theory of the rise of the West as a "virgin birth" , but rather as a product of Western interactions with more technically and socially advanced .

The text reinterprets potentially Eurocentric ideas of Europe's contributions to world development. For example, it provides evidence that a complex system of global trade existed long before , that social and economic theories in the Enlightenment came from encounters with new cultures rather than with , and that modern European hegemony resulted from situational advantages rather than from inherent superior traits.

Key Ideas

* Many inventions critical to European progress were Chinese innovations
* European powers did not create world trade, but rather used American silver to integrate into bustling Indian and Chinese markets
* The belief that European hegemony derived from free trade, reasoned rule, and democracy is a patriotic myth. European powers won trading rights by force, and Britain developed the industrial revolution under harsh regulations.
* Cultural movements and ideas were spurred by contact with the outside world, particularly with the East.

Response

''The Eastern Origins of Western Civilisation'' has been received favorably by anti-Eurocentrists and Orientalists.

A reviewer for the Culture Mandala wrote Hobson's work "complements and builds on the insights of , and others to illustrate in great detail both how substantial China's historical achievement has been and how much the West has distorted history to serve the purpose of its imperial civilizing mission".