The Colonizer's Model of the World: Geographical Diffusionism and Eurocentric History

by J.M. Blaut

Book Overview

This influential book challenges one of the most pervasive and powerful beliefs of our time--that Europe rose to modernity and world dominance due to unique qualities of race, environment, culture, mind, or spirit, and that progress for the rest of the world resulted from the diffusion of European civilization. J. M. Blaut persuasively argues that this doctrine is not grounded in the facts of history and geography, but in the ideology of colonialism...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0898623480
• ISBN13: 9780898623482
• Release Date: October 1993
• Publisher: Guilford Publications
• Length: 246 Pages
• Weight: 0.88 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Refuting Eurocentrism

James Blaut, a geographer at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is particularly known for his excellent refutations and polemics against Eurocentrism in economic history. This book, "The Colonizer's Model of the World", is the pinnacle of that oeuvre, together with its companion work Eight Eurocentric Historians. The first and largest part of the book is devoted to refuting the mythology and mistakes of Eurocentric diffusionism, a body of theories and statements which purport to show that Europe or Europeans were in some way, whether mentally or physically or economically or environmentally or culturally, superior to Asians, Africans and other non-Europeans before the 'discovery' of America. Blaut does this by analyzing systematically the works of many recent and past popularizers of these theories, from the 'hydraulic societies' of Karl Wittfogel to the contemporary racist historiography of Eric L. Jones, and subjecting them to an unsparing criticism for their erroneous assumptions and ignorance of the non-European world. As Blaut shows, China, India, Southeast Asia and even Africa were not lagging behind Europe in any respect before 1492, including but not limited to technology, individual freedom (or lack thereof), and demographics. He also makes many essential geographic points, such as refuting the theories that tropical conditions are inherently unsuited for working or thinking, or that tropical soil is necessarily less fertile, or that Europe relied on rainfall agriculture unlike Asia. The book "Eight Eurocentric Historians" builds upon this part and goes into more detail about it. The second part of the book is a discussion of the state of feudalism in Europe and elsewhere (about the same level of development except for the Americas, as Blaut shows) before 1492, and the immensely rapid growth, change, and development Western and Southern Europe underwent in the period roughly from 1492 to 1700. Blaut persuasively argues that only the colonization of the Americas, with the enormous influx of wealth and capitalistic production relations resulting from gold and silver mining and plantation work (particularly sugar), can adequately explain this phenomenon. He also explains why it was Europe that conquered America rather than the opposite, the answer being disease, and why it was Europe as opposed to Asia or Africa that did this, the answer being geographical location and advantageous wind patterns for sailing. Blaut is unsparing and polemic in his writing, occasionally getting preachy, but his case is strong and aims home. He even criticizes otherwise radical authors for their failing in this regard, often legitimately, such as Marx and to a lesser extent Engels, Robert Brenner, Perry Anderson, and others. I do not endorse or support all his critiques on this field, as Blaut occasionally goes overboard, and his endorsement of Martin Bernal's "Black Athena" theory, now discredited, does not aid his case. (It must be noted that this boo

Pops a Few European Balloons

This is a good critique of the assumptions made by Eurocentric historians over the years about the superiority of Europe as compared to the inferiority of the rest of the world. Blaut effectively examines and explodes each theory dispassionately but thoroughly. Finally he comes up with his own explanation for European success since 1492: America. Europe's "discovery" of and exploitation of North and South America gave it the wherewithall it needed to overtake and surpass the rest of the world. A well written, well documented assessment which deserves a place beside The Great Divergence and ReOrient, among others.

Hammerblow to Eurocentrism

James Blaut's book "The Colonizer's Model of the World" attacks most of the common assumptions and beliefs about why the West "rose" to dominate much of the globe by the 19th century. Blaut systematically dismantles idea after idea, many of which have been taken for granted by historians and laymen alike for years. For example, the idea that Europe's climate and soils are inherently better suited for agriculture than elsewhere. In the end, however, Blaut still has to explain Europe's rise, so his answer is that since Europe was geographically closer to the Americas and had the benefit of favorable winds and currents, these factors made the "discovery" of America possible. The resulting flood of bullion from America into Europe allowed the Europeans to eventually pull ahead of the rest of the world. Blaut is surely on to something, but his explanation is a little thin. Why didn't Africans discover Brazil? Nonetheless, this is an excellent book that will challenge your thinking and shake your Eurocentrism (if you suffer from it) to the foundations. If you want a more detailed critique of individual historians such as Jared Diamond and David Landes, check out Blaut's "Eight Eurocentric Historians."

The most stimulating reading I have done in a long time...

... and I believe I am a seeker of engrossing, intellectual reading! With strong, stimulating, engrossing, logical and brilliantly vivid arguments, this book deserves to be a recommended study at all schools wishing to nurture a socially analytical intellect. (But you do not have to go to school to read it... I didn't!)The book does not assume prior social studies from the reader, in fact one of the main plus points of the book is that it takes pains to explain (in an extremely engrossing style) any complex concepts that are required for the analyses the author presents. The book is worth many times the money/ time spent on it just for the social science concepts illustrated.One of the rare books that helps you broaden your vision and understanding of this world via a huge, well directed beam of light. Though the book is an argument against a belief system (of European superiority and "priority"), Blaut takes care not to make it an argument against people holding those beliefs. Instead he delves deep into social and psychological theories to explain how the beliefs came about. It illustrates human-nature more than argue against the views held by a section. I could go on trying to express the plus points of the book, but indeed, the material, handling and subject of the book are so well dealt with that I prefer to just suggest that you go out and read it. Trust me, the first few pages will hook you ...

Enlightening view of world history since Columbus

The author contends that prior to 1492 most of the sea-faring cultures of the "Old World" (Europe, Africa & Asia) were, for the most part, equal in technological, political and economic status. It was only geographic proximity (and luck) that allowed the Europeans to "discover" America, which had advanced cultures, too. This "discovery" allowed the Europeans to be the first to exploit the natural and human resources of America and therefore position itself as the world powerhouse, that still exists today. Colonization and capitalism followed from the silver trade, then eventually the fur, rum and slave trades. The rest is history. Along the way, Mr. Blaut easily dismisses the notion that it was European culture or character (either good or evil) that led to their "advancements." But it is that main point that really opened my eyes: that other cultures, in all hemispheres, were equally advanced as Europe in 1492, and that Europe's colonization of America was just luck and their "advancement" truly sprung from just that. It is a good complement to "Indian Givers," by Jack Weatherford.