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Quote by: grandpa  I'm reading a history book now. The author always refers to Africa, the Middle and Far East as "backwards." Some people never notice such things, I think. We just constantly hear that "we" are superior and "they" are inferior.
Grandpa h. |
Only from like 1700/1800 to1880 would that really be so(backwardness)....
China was quite economically superior to all other states until around 1800(when surpassed by GB), though in political and military terms it was behind way before then.
Japan caught up with the West with ease in 20 or so years.
The Middle East and North Africa were flourishing through their entire history until the trade routes were redirected around Africa by Portugal, and their currency was simultaneously devalued by the influx of American gold from Spains colonies.... and even for 300 years after that, the greatest Islamic state, the Ottoman empire, could go toe to toe and normally beat Russia or Austria mano e mano.... this was as an economic backwater, imagine what the Turks would have accomplished if they had maintained dominance of the Indian and Chinese trade routes...
Its sad but true, though, that if you stand up for Islam, or the Asian cultures, you get socially lambasted.... as a student, I hear such intelligent comments as "they hate us cos were rich and their poor"
