Post #6

Q: Why did non-western countries stand still while the West moved forward? (Zacharia 73) Do you agree with Zacharia?

A: Zacharia claims that “The Rest”, or non-westerns remained stagnant in their advancement because of their ceased ability to embark on expeditions by sea. A new Chinese emperor in the 1430s meant an end to travel, exploration, and modernization. The Chinese elite were split regarding their continuation of seafaring. These trips were resource-heavy and they ultimately decided to discontinue their naval expeditions. 

On the contrary, Europe ventured across the world and “industrialized, urbanized, and modernized” themselves. In doing so they were able to spread their influence across the globe. This was crucial in the development of the modern-day western world. Zacharia states many claim that Asia and the West were equally wealthy until the 1800s. He further explains that this is a misinterpretation due to the extreme agricultural output derived from Asia’s much larger population. This wealth discrepancy was consistent with the quality of life discrepancy, which favored the West substantially. 

Q: What is Zacharia referring to when he says “while it may be politically correct, it is historically incorrect?” (65) Do you agree? 

A: Zacharia is referring to the view that Western dominance was nonexistent or accidental. He says this view embraces a “multicultural sensibility” which does not give proper credit or acknowledgment to the advancement of the West. He uses an example of GDP to explain how the wealth of these two areas of the world was misinterpreted. I disagree with Zacharia. I agree with his claim, but I don’t see the sense in saying that the view was politically correct. It was factually incorrect. He says the view offers political advantages by denying special status to the West. This seems opinionated and emotional, not on Zacharia’s end but from an Asian centric view. 

The West made strides that differentiated itself from that of the rest. As the early centuries of the second millennium proved the East superior from a modernization standpoint, the West grew immensely in the later years. This, while denied, is evident. This immense growth yielded modern-day science, which left us in a position unfathomed by our predecessors. We have countless generations to thank for the growth we’ve witnessed over the last 1000 years.