"Rise of the West" redirects here. For the process of the rise of the Western world, see Great Divergence.
The Rise of the West: A History of the Human Community is a book by University of Chicago historian William H. McNeill, first published in 1963 and enlarged with a retrospective preface in 1991.[1] It explores world history in terms of the effect different old world civilizations had on one another, and especially the deep influence of Western civilization on the rest of the world in the past 500 years. He argues that societal contact with foreign civilizations is the primary force in driving historical change. In 1964 it won the National Book Awardin History and Biography.[2]
Part I of The Rise of the West discusses evolutionary prehistory, the breakthrough to civilization in Mesopotamia, the era of Middle Eastern dominance, and the formation of peripheral civilizations in India, Greece, and China to 500 BC.
Part II discusses the Eurasian cultural balance to 1500 AD, including the expansion of Hellenism, the closure of the Eurasian ecumene, the development of major religions, the barbarian onslaught, resurgence of the Middle East, and steppe conquerors. McNeill proposes that the basic engine of world history during this period is the temporary primacy of different regions of the ecumene, with a rough parity reestablished as innovations spread to other centers of civilization. The sequence is Hellenistic / Indian / Islamic / Chinese and Mongol. Generally the eras are structured in terms of the internal history of the dominant region, followed by the history of the rest of the world with a focus on how they reacted to the diffusing techniques and ideas of the dominant region.[3]
Part III examines the era of Western dominance. From 1500 to 1750 this is represented by the challenge of Western Europe to the world in a period of exploitation and colonization and the changing balance of the ecumene in the Islamic world, the Far East, and Africa. Before 1750, Western superiority is similar in scope to the primacy previously enjoyed by other regions. The book describes the "tottering balance" of older orders within Europe, European expansion and acculturation in outliers, including the Americas. The rise of the West on a cosmopolitan scale from 1750 to 1950 is described as to continued territorial expansion, industrialism, the democratic revolution, and intellectual aspects. This period marks a discontinuity: the global influence of the West expands beyond all historical parallels.[4]
The Rise had two major effects on historical analysis. First, it challenged the view of civilizations as independent entities subject to rise and fall as postulated by Arnold J. Toynbee and Oswald Spengler, who viewed civilizations as discrete and independent. McNeill had actually conceived of the book as a student in 1936 to counter the theses of Spengler's Decline of the West (the title The Rise of the West chosen as a deliberate contrast) and Toynbee's A Study of History, which "postulated that civilizations marched to their own drummers, largely unaffected by foreign influences".[5] McNeill, on the other hand, stresses the diffusion of techniques and ideas, making connections between civilizations crucially important. Second, it provided a framework for theories like world-systems theory and dependency theory, which "cemented the centrality of the 'West' in world history".[8]
It's important to note, however, that in a 1990 article in the Journal of World History, McNeill reflected that The Rise of the West must be viewed as "an expression of the postwar imperial mood in the United States" and admitted that it could somewhat be seen as a "form of intellectual imperialism".[9] Later, in a 1991 essay, McNeill emphasized that the unifying theme of his book was the importance of interrelation and cultural diffusion rather than a flat description of western history's effect on other civilizations.[10]
^ abRoberts, Sam (12 July 2016). "William H. McNeill, Professor and Prolific Author, Dies at 98". New York Times.
^"100 Best Nonfiction". Modern Library (Board). Random House. 1999.
^Thomas D. Hall, 1997. "World system theory" in The Dictionary of Anthropology, Thomas Barfield, ed. Wiley-Blackwell, ISBN1-57718-057-7, pp. 498–499.
^Ballantyne, Tony (2005). "Putting the Nation in Its Place?: World History and C. A. Bayly's The Birth of the Modern World". In Curthoys, Ann; Lake, Marilyn (eds.). Connected Worlds: History in Transnational Perspective. Canberra, Australia: ANU E Press. pp. 23–44. ISBN9781920942458. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
^William H. McNeill (Spring 1990). (PDF). Journal of World History. 1 (1): 1–21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 September 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
^William H. McNeill, 1963 [1991]. The Rise of the West: A History of the Human Community [With a Retrospective Essay], University of Chicago Press, ISBN978-0-226-56141-7. Description (click "More"), Table of Contents Summary and scrollable preview.[permanent dead link]
Further readingedit
William H. McNeill (Spring 1990). (PDF). Journal of World History. 1 (1): 1–21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-09-14. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
Naumann, Katja (2013). "L'enseignement de l'histoire mondiale aux États-Unis avant William McNeill et son premier ouvrage : The Rise of the West (1963)". Cahiers d'histoire (in French). 121. Translated by Charlotte Girard: 43–68.
External linksedit
William H. McNeill (1963). The Rise of the West: A History of the Human Community. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN9780226561615.
William H. McNeill (Fall 1998). "World History and the Rise and Fall of the West". Journal of World History. 9 (2): 215–236. doi:10.1353/jwh.2005.0105. JSTOR 20078729. S2CID 143648739.
rise, west, rise, west, redirects, here, process, rise, western, world, great, divergence, history, human, community, book, university, chicago, historian, william, mcneill, first, published, 1963, enlarged, with, retrospective, preface, 1991, explores, world,. Rise of the West redirects here For the process of the rise of the Western world see Great Divergence The Rise of the West A History of the Human Community is a book by University of Chicago historian William H McNeill first published in 1963 and enlarged with a retrospective preface in 1991 1 It explores world history in terms of the effect different old world civilizations had on one another and especially the deep influence of Western civilization on the rest of the world in the past 500 years He argues that societal contact with foreign civilizations is the primary force in driving historical change In 1964 it won the National Book Award in History and Biography 2 The Rise of the WestCover of the first editionAuthorWilliam Hardy McNeillCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishSubjectWorld historyPublisherUniversity of Chicago PressPublication date1963Media typePrint Hardcover and Paperback Contents 1 Description 2 Reception 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksDescription editPart I of The Rise of the West discusses evolutionary prehistory the breakthrough to civilization in Mesopotamia the era of Middle Eastern dominance and the formation of peripheral civilizations in India Greece and China to 500 BC Part II discusses the Eurasian cultural balance to 1500 AD including the expansion of Hellenism the closure of the Eurasian ecumene the development of major religions the barbarian onslaught resurgence of the Middle East and steppe conquerors McNeill proposes that the basic engine of world history during this period is the temporary primacy of different regions of the ecumene with a rough parity reestablished as innovations spread to other centers of civilization The sequence is Hellenistic Indian Islamic Chinese and Mongol Generally the eras are structured in terms of the internal history of the dominant region followed by the history of the rest of the world with a focus on how they reacted to the diffusing techniques and ideas of the dominant region 3 Part III examines the era of Western dominance From 1500 to 1750 this is represented by the challenge of Western Europe to the world in a period of exploitation and colonization and the changing balance of the ecumene in the Islamic world the Far East and Africa Before 1750 Western superiority is similar in scope to the primacy previously enjoyed by other regions The book describes the tottering balance of older orders within Europe European expansion and acculturation in outliers including the Americas The rise of the West on a cosmopolitan scale from 1750 to 1950 is described as to continued territorial expansion industrialism the democratic revolution and intellectual aspects This period marks a discontinuity the global influence of the West expands beyond all historical parallels 4 Reception editHugh Trevor Roper wrote a glowing review in The New York Times Book Review 5 McNeill s Rise of the West won the U S National Book Award in History and Biography in 1964 2 and was named one of the 100 Best Nonfiction Books of the 20th century by the Modern Library 6 One critical response has been that the West did not rise the East fell or withdrew 7 The Rise had two major effects on historical analysis First it challenged the view of civilizations as independent entities subject to rise and fall as postulated by Arnold J Toynbee and Oswald Spengler who viewed civilizations as discrete and independent McNeill had actually conceived of the book as a student in 1936 to counter the theses of Spengler s Decline of the West the title The Rise of the West chosen as a deliberate contrast and Toynbee s A Study of History which postulated that civilizations marched to their own drummers largely unaffected by foreign influences 5 McNeill on the other hand stresses the diffusion of techniques and ideas making connections between civilizations crucially important Second it provided a framework for theories like world systems theory and dependency theory which cemented the centrality of the West in world history 8 It s important to note however that in a 1990 article in the Journal of World History McNeill reflected that The Rise of the West must be viewed as an expression of the postwar imperial mood in the United States and admitted that it could somewhat be seen as a form of intellectual imperialism 9 Later in a 1991 essay McNeill emphasized that the unifying theme of his book was the importance of interrelation and cultural diffusion rather than a flat description of western history s effect on other civilizations 10 See also editGreat Divergence Guns Germs and SteelReferences edit McNeill William H 1990 The Rise of the West after Twenty Five Years Journal of World History 1 1 1 21 ISSN 1045 6007 a b National Book Awards National Book Foundation 1964 Retrieved March 17 2012 Enlarged edition pp 247 253 Enlarged edition pp 565 568 a b Roberts Sam 12 July 2016 William H McNeill Professor and Prolific Author Dies at 98 New York Times 100 Best Nonfiction Modern Library Board Random House 1999 Thomas D Hall 1997 World system theory in The Dictionary of Anthropology Thomas Barfield ed Wiley Blackwell ISBN 1 57718 057 7 pp 498 499 Ballantyne Tony 2005 Putting the Nation in Its Place World History and C A Bayly s The Birth of the Modern World In Curthoys Ann Lake Marilyn eds Connected Worlds History in Transnational Perspective Canberra Australia ANU E Press pp 23 44 ISBN 9781920942458 Retrieved 1 February 2018 William H McNeill Spring 1990 The Rise of the West after Twenty Five Years PDF Journal of World History 1 1 1 21 Archived from the original PDF on 14 September 2013 Retrieved 1 February 2018 William H McNeill 1963 1991 The Rise of the West A History of the Human Community With a Retrospective Essay University of Chicago Press ISBN 978 0 226 56141 7 Description click More Table of Contents Summary and scrollable preview permanent dead link Further reading editWilliam H McNeill Spring 1990 The Rise of the West after Twenty Five Years PDF Journal of World History 1 1 1 21 Archived from the original PDF on 2013 09 14 Retrieved 2018 02 01 Naumann Katja 2013 L enseignement de l histoire mondiale aux Etats Unis avant William McNeill et son premier ouvrage The Rise of the West 1963 Cahiers d histoire in French 121 Translated by Charlotte Girard 43 68 External links editWilliam H McNeill 1963 The Rise of the West A History of the Human Community Chicago University of Chicago Press ISBN 9780226561615 William H McNeill Fall 1998 World History and the Rise and Fall of the West Journal of World History 9 2 215 236 doi 10 1353 jwh 2005 0105 JSTOR 20078729 S2CID 143648739 Portals nbsp Books nbsp History nbsp 1960s Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Rise of the West amp oldid 1213566491, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
