What factors accounted for the rather sudden rise of
Europe to world dominance? How was this small region was able to transform
immensely larger portions of the world and to maintain its commanding position
for so long?
The rather sudden rise of Europe to world
dominance was able to transform immensely larger portions of the world and even
then maintained its commanding position for quite a long long
There have been many interpretations with
different factors being responsible
Parts of Europe had already developed
capitalist institutions by the end of the Middle Ages, and the colonial age saw
a further rapid development of capitalism in the region. Profit became a highly
acceptable motive, and the relative freedom of action afforded by the
capitalistic system provided opportunities for gaining wealth by taking risks.
Energetic entrepreneurs found it possible to mobilize capital into large
companies and to exploit both European and overseas labour. Such ventures often
involved unscrupulous, illegal, or even barbaric practices, and these led to
increasing regulation by governments as time went on. But the sheer energy and
ingenuity exhibited by Europeans in pursuit of profits under the system of
capitalism is a major explanation for the world dominance that Europe achieved.
By the end of the Middle Ages, the
Europeans had reached a level of technology generally superior to that of
non-Europeans with whom they came in contact during the early Age of Discovery.
In particular, their achievements in shipbuilding, navigation, and the
manufacture and handling of artillery gave them decided advantages in seeking
out new lands to exploit and establishing themselves there. With the passage of
time, European technology continued to develop at an increasing pace, and the
technological gap between Europe and most other areas widened.
Europe's scientific prowess must was one
explanation for the region's rise to world dominance. Technology is partly applied
science, and the foundations of modern science were being constructed almost
entirely in Europe during the centuries when European influence was becoming
paramount. Until recently, the great names of science have been overwhelmingly
the names of Europeans; as late as World War II, the development' of atomic
fission in the United States was carried out by a team comprised largely of
prominent refugee European scientists.
The aggressive confidence of Europeans in
the superiority of their own lifestyle, culture and civilization is another
explanation that has been offered for European success. Abundant proof exists
that such feelings were very prevalent and were often coupled with a strong
sense of a mission to bring European culture to peoples and lands beyond the
seas. Europeans often displayed great zeal in propagating their own ideas and
institutions among alien peoples.
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