Eurocentrism

In this original and provocative essay, Samir Amin, the author of a number of pathbreaking studies on the structure of the world economy, takes on one of the great "ideological deformations" of our time: Eurocentrism. Rejecting the dominant Eurocentric view of world history, which narrowly and incorrectly posits a progression from the Greek and Roman classical world to Christian Feudalism and the European capitalist system, Amin presents a sweeping reinterpretation that emphasizes the crucial historical role played by the Arab-Islamic world. Throughout the work, Amin addresses a broad set of concerns, ranging for the ideological nature of scholastic metaphysics to the meanings and shortcomings of contemporary Islamic fundamentalism. Consistently subversive of the established pieties of the west, this book breaks new theoretical and historiographical ground by outlining a compelling non-Eurocentric vision of world history.