Was It Pluck Or Luck: European Exploration And Trade
Read the article and took your stand with one of the scholars and explain your reasoning. Take examples from the 1200-1750 C.E. period.
As you prepare, keep these parameters in mind:
• Develop your response in a well-organized, well-substantiated, thesis-based essay
• Focus on depth not scope, quality not quantity. You will not be rewarded for merely “dumping information,” but will be amply rewarded for developing a coherent and relevant response that makes generous and independent use of course readings.
• You should discuss in depth at least six different examples (think of specific topics we covered such as “conquest of the Aztecs” or “invention of gun-powder” as valid examples) in developing your thesis. Do NOT provide an “inventory” of examples; instead, always address examples with your overall thesis in mind (this means, for every example provided, you also need to explain how it supports or complicates your viewpoint).
• Your six examples must be drawn from at least three different geographical regions we have covered (choose from the Americas, Atlantic islands, Europe, Africa, East Asia, South Asia or the Middle East). Any combination is fine, but having, let's say, all your examples focus on Europe is not.
Course
Tutor
Date
Was it Pluck or Luck?
The article by Buck offers a critical review of books presented by different authors to account for the differences experienced by countries in the development and creation of wealth (413). Buck reviews that in David S. Landes book titled The Wealth and Poverty of Nations, the success of the Europeans can be attributed to their pluckiness, which offered them an advantage over other cultures, enabling them to engage in activities that had a great impact on the world (413). From these insights, the intent of this paper is to address the Eurocentrism associated with Europe’s success that suggests other nations must follow their approach to be successful.
The influence of Eurocentricism that is advocated for by Landes creates a self-sustaining conceptualization that Europe and its people are central and critical to all meaningful aspects of the global social values and cultural heritage. Landes relates the facts appropriately to understand the differences between countries with the influence of European culture and political interference. The argument offered by Landes is evident in examples from history in the 1200-1750 C.E. period. In this context, the argument offered by lands alludes that the rich nations were at a time poor nations that came up by developing market economies. On the same note, poor nations are still poor because they did not develop the market economies that would propel them to wealth creation. The ideology is highlighted by Buck, stating that based on Landes ideology, the success of the West had begun before the industrial revolution, and internal activities had initiated it. In this light, other countries must adapt tactics employed by Europeans in developing their economies (416). Arguably, the conditions created by the European governments offered an opportunity for the people to exercise their economic activities without interference and this is what any other nation across the world ought to do for them to be successful.
European exploration and trade
Eurocentrism is evident in the way regional names around the world were offered to honor European rulers and travelers. The increased exploration of the Europeans that included the search for trade routes and resources for the industrial revolution increased the orientation towards a Eurocentric perspective. The Europeans felt that other cultures were inferior and unnecessary, and it was their mandate to civilize the cultures. The development and success of European industries and economies throughout history highlights the self-sustaining belief that Europeans are meaningful in all aspects of social and economic growth. The argument offered by this ideology confirms the notion that other countries should follow the European way of life in order to be successful. The conquest culture exercised by the European was instrumental in developing the region. It is this pluckiness embedded in their culture that allowed them to spread their civilization and technology to other regions of the world. Additionally, the history of science and technology is attributed to have begun with the Greeks and spread by the Romans. During the Renaissance and the industrial revolution, the European further spread their knowledge to other parts of the world, advancing Eurocentrism through trade and colonization.
Racial Exploitation
The worldwide expansion and colonial domination by European powers raised a new perspective on race among the different people across the globe. With the European being the dominant race, others became inferior. Subsequently, their social classification was imposed across the entire population of the world, leading to the emergence of new historical and social identities. The impact of racial distribution and social identities was evident in the distribution of labor and the exploitation during European conquests and colonialism. The Eurocentric approach of labor led to the exploitation of some people for a long time, such as the slave trade where Black people from Africa were traded as laborers in White farms in America.
Conquest of Aztec Empire
Landes ideology is that the countries of Western Europe, such as Brita...