Jordan Engler
Anth 63-01
September 13, 2000

Class Discussion

Blaut, The Colonizer's Model of the World, Chapter 2

Armen's Overview:

Blaut's main task in chapter two of The Colonizer's Model of the World is to show that the theory of "the European Miracle" is not backed by historical evidence. The myth of the European miracle explains that Europe forged ahead of all other civilizations and this internally generated historical superiority and priority explains world history and geography after 1492. Blaut explains that historians do not agree on why the miracle occurred or even when. He questions why these historians do not question whether a miracle happened at all. Blaut attempts to show that Europeans had no superiority over non-Europe at any time prior to 1492; they were not more advanced, modern, or progressive.

Armen presented these main arguments of Blaut early in class. She further explained that after World War II, classic Eurocentric diffusionism (the idea that European societies are more advanced and progressive) changed. After the war, the idea was no longer based on notions of racial inferiority, though the very belief of the myth has very discriminatory characteristics, but post-war the racist underpinnings became less overt.

The Critique:

Blaut explains that the modernization approach to history was quickly challenged because it gave no real role to non-Europe, except that it was the recipient of diffusion from Europe throughout the past and present. With colonialism, new models had to be developed to show that Europe diffused a mixture of good and bad innovations that ultimately lead to the underdevelopment of the colonized countries. This is known as the "dependency theory" in Latin America and the "underdevelopment theory" in Asia and Africa. European Marxists were among the main contributors to these theories and critics of colonialism. Oddly, most of these scholars wrote about the uniqueness of Europe before 1492.

The Countercritique:

A number of scholars involved in the countercritique are Marxist. They insist that the true and correct Marxist doctrine recognized the superiority and priority of Europe. Robert Brenner argues that capitalism was invented in Northwestern Europe and we must acknowledge the continued priority of Europe some 600 years later.

The Myth:

The Myth of the European Miracle is a myth in the classical sense of the word, Armen explained: it is a story about the rise of a culture that is believed widely by the members of that culture and it implies something not true. Beliefs tend to gain acceptance if they support the myth and are denied attention of they question it. Therefore, historians supporting the continued superiority of Europe are highly selective in what evidence they bring forward.

The class discussed the religious basis for the myth; that it was rooted in religious superiority. Blaut argues that the majority of the arguments for the superiority of Europe were grounded in faith and that if the European environment is superior, it is because God made it so; if the white race is superior is also because God made it so. Biological arguments assert that Europeans are biologically superior to non-Europeans and that racial inferiority justified colonialism. Today, the racial basis for the myth is more implicit rather than explicit. Blaut says that racial differences explain nothing about culture or cultural evolution.

Second to the racial arguments used to support the myth, demographic behavior is used as evidence. The theory that Blaut focuses on claims that Europeans have historically controlled their population growth, while other peoples did not, so that Europe did not suffer overpopulation or other "Malthusian disasters" that supposedly prevented progress and advancement in non-European societies. The argument does not center on biology, but once again on rationality. It is assumed that Europeans think about the problem of population while others do not. So the argument always returns ideas of culture and race. Natalie was frustrated with Blaut for assuming that all non-European societies followed the same paths and that he just disproves the myth, but does not say what specifically what occurs in other regions. It was concluded that Blaut went about his generalizations strategically, for that was not the purpose of his book to thoroughly explain happenings in other countries. Sufficient specific evidence is referenced in footnotes following the chapter. Abby hypothesized that Blaut simplified his argument by not giving extensive critique and details as to make readers think and examine their own world for details. Mirei argued that Blaut generalized, because Europe did so. Environmental determinism is a theory that the natural environment strongly influences human affairs and human history and is used to support the European "miracle." It claims that Europe had an environment that led to its rise, while the "nasty" environments of other places have blocked progress. Doctrines assert that the hot and humid climates that are characteristic of many places in the world are hard on the human mind and body, make food production difficult and diseases rampant. The argument, the class asserted, is often used the opposite way to explain the superiority of these regions against that of cold, gray Europe, so it was concluded through class discussion that the argument was limited in utility. In the environmental myths, Asia is assumed to be arid and despotic. Scholars claim that the aridity in Asia made irrigation necessary and this was used to speculate the environment caused despotism and lack of progress in Asian societies. James illustrated the argument that irrigation is supposed to require major public works for the creation and maintenance of canals, and therefore demand command-type political structures. Thus, hydraulic societies are necessarily despotic. Many miracle theorists mistakenly believe that irrigation is somehow unproductive and backward. A question was raised to whether this type of system causes stagnation. What is interesting, Professor Guneratne reminded the class is that all the world's major religions rose in tropical regions.

Armen also presented ideas of rationality to the class for discussion. Miracle theorists believe that Europeans have achieved an "adult mind" and non-Europeans are underdeveloped and childlike and need to be led to adulthood by Europeans.

Discussion on Capitalism:

Miracle theorists have notions that the development of private property leads to progress. Abby and James explained that in economics the belief is that private property gives people the incentive to advance because all gains made to the initial property are in the holder, which leads to capitalism and personal freedom. Blaut argues against the theorists that the beliefs that private property was only present in Europe prior to 1492 is problematic empirically; Melissa believes that miracle theorists use their arguments to justify capitalism now and that it is problematic to read the past in terms of the present.

Concluding Thoughts:

Before 1492, Europe was not a distinguishing place and was indeed on the periphery of an Afro-Asian world (as shown by trade route maps). Numerous times during the class discussion, concerns were raised regarding the lack of empirical basis for some of Blaut's assertions and that sufficient details were not given in the body text. Professor Guneratne reminded the class that there was still no direct challenge presented to Blaut's assertions.