De-centering Europe
Traditional histories describe non-western countries using the cultural phenomena of the European countries. Because Europe is universal in different aspects taking place in the World, classical history assumes that Europeans are superior compared to other countries. The perspective that makes Europe universal is because of various ethical values such as equality, individuality, secularism, human rights, free markets, social justice, and democracy. The analysis of various historical activities results in a different view of the Eurocentric position. Pomeranz and Topik claim that it is because other countries are underestimating their capabilities and success. Therefore, this paper provides a clear argument that modern history indicates the Eurocentric worldview is an inaccurate account; thus, other countries are valuable and center of developed events.
Eurocentrism describes Europe as the center of history-making. The statement claims that although other countries make history too, Europe provides much support and contributions to it. The assumption is negatively recorded. According to Pomeranz and Topik vignettes, countries including America, Asia, Africa, and Cuba have histories for inventing new commodities that led to the development of trade. For example, the history of coffee originated in Ethiopia. In modern history, the coffee brewery has become an industrial commodity (p. 6)
Europe is universal and superior compared to other countries. Arguably, Europe makes changes around the entire globe. It has adequate and reliable resources such as advanced technologies, skills, and financial stability that support various events. Although other countries invent and cultivate new commodities, the economic state of Europe promotes the industrial revolution; thus, it becomes the center of industrialization. Europeans indeed act while other countries respond. The statement describes where Eurocentric position originated, because Europe enhanced commercialization and trading of drugs and vaccines globally, although raw materials originate from other countries.
The statement that Europe makes other countries passive because it has agency is inaccurate according to today’s history. The vignette of Pomeranz and Topik indicates that Europe’s monopoly on marketing is weak because of the centralization of the trade to producers and consumers of coffee products. The cause o decentralization in Europe was because of instability and sociopolitical issues. Besides, the desire to overcome the United States over cotton marketing failed since the US was among the top suppliers of cotton products. Hence, the US has a history of cotton supply compared to the British.
New technology contributes to the decentralization of European history perception. Cotton production required new techniques of using bottlenecks to increase productivity to met demands in the market. However, cotton plantation requires extensive labor, which is unavailable in Britain. Slaves in America engaged in the farming activity of cotton production, making America the center of cotton trading, thus decentralizing the European view of centralization in today’s history (p. 10).
Finally, Brazil invented rubber manufacturing contributing to the high growth and development of the economy. The perception of the increased trading of rubber makes Brazil the center of the capital and rubber supply internationally. However, the claim that Europe is the center is inaccurate since it is peripheral in terms of industrialization and commercialization. In today’s history, other countries are becoming more stable with secure boundaries; hence centralization has shifted from the colonial countries to the developing nations (p. 10).