dear Jim,
i don't mind against the crucial role of colonization but
efficient colonization (as well as warfare) has certain systemic (political,
financial, mental, social, technological etc etc) prerequisits. in fact
Europe managed to use its chance as well as Russia used its chance in
occupation Siberia (i almost fully agree here with Barense's msg).
Perhaps Arabs, Turks, Indian and Chinese people had up to 1500 in
principle the same or even better opportunities (finance system, marytime
skills, weapons, demographical resourses, etc) for colonization
far-away countries or Northern-East Asia but they did not do it!
Rusian territorial expansion was in fact a prolonged geopolitical policy
of Moscovia.
I still think that such dynamic strategy (in G.Snooks's terms) as
investment in extraordianry long and dangerous sea adventures with non-
clear results, mass recruitment, the Will for Expansion (to transform Nietzshe
formule) is specific for Western Europe. Surely it is not a miracle but
this dynamic strategy did lead to miraclous - extraordinary (and certainly
tragic for millions of non-Europeans) historical results.
best regards, Nikolai
> Nikolai:
>
> You points are all valid, in my opinion, if they refer to processes occurring
> after the late 16th century -- after the huge accumulation of gold and silver,
> and after the beginnings of the slave trade and slave plantations. In other
> words, I believe that nothing that existed in Europe prior to 1492 suggests a
> potential for a later "rise of Europe" above other civilizations. Colonialism
> started the process and there was no "European miracle." I defend this position
> in my book and in articles published in the journals _Science and Society_
> (1989) and _Political Geography_ (1992).
>
> Jim
>
> ***********************************************************
Nikolai S. Rozov # Address:Dept. of Philosophy
Prof.of Philosophy # Novosibirsk State University
rozov@cnit.nsu.ru # 630090, Novosibirsk
Fax: (3832) 355237 # Pirogova 2, RUSSIA
Moderator of the mailing list PHILOFHI
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