Interactions and Aspects: Asia and the Western World

547 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Global history imperialism dbq

The views of the opposite race between the Asian and Western civilizations were generally in three categories: dependent upon resources, imperialistic, and hostile and blatantly racist. Most interactions began at one of these three categories, but then eventually ended with some form of a combination of all three. These interactions eventually turned Asian views on the West from cursory to anti-Western and trying to push the negative influences out of the East. Western Empires first became interested in Asian countries—India, China, and Malaysia, for example—for the various resources they could provide and the larger markets that were maintained within the countries. This created a cycle of dependency—the Asian countries dependent on European manufactured goods and the services they provided, schools and roads, and the Europeans on the valuable resources that they gained from interaction with the Eastern world. The views and interactions between these two separate groups with the other was mostly one of a trading relationship, based solely upon what one could get out of the other to ...

Show More
Related

  • European Imperialism of China and Japan

    402 Words  | 1 Pages

    European Imperialism of China and Japan Imperialism is the practice by which powerful nations or peoples seek to extend and maintain control or influence over weaker nations or peoples. By the 1800’s, the Western powers had advantages in this process. They led the world in technological advances, giving them dominance when conquering other countries. The European Imperialists made attempts to conquer China and Japan.

    Read More

  • Innovations In Eurasia

    972 Words  | 2 Pages

    As new ideas traveled main trade routes, such as the Silk Road and the Mediterranean, the effects of such were felt through an influx of contact between countries due to increased desire for new information and countries gaining a larger presence on the world stage. This phenomenon can also be seen through the lens of cultural exchange that took place during this same time period in Eurasia. A major component of the Eurasian trade networks, such as the Silk Road and Indian Ocean, was that they fostered interregional contacts that had ceased to previously exist. When a country had a desire for study or technology, they earned more respect on the global stage. This can be further examined by looking at Marco Polo’s voyage into Asia.

    Read More

  • Westernization in China and Japan

    1311 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the middle of the 19th century, despite a few similarities between the initial responses of China and Japan to the West, they later diverged; which ultimately affected and influenced the modernizing development of both countries. At first, both of the Asian nations rejected the ideas which the West had brought upon them, and therefore went through a time period of self-imposed isolation. However, the demands that were soon set by Western imperialism forced them, though in different ways, to reconsider. And, by the end of the 19th century both China and Japan had introduced ‘westernizing’ reforms. China’s aim was to use modern means to retain and preserve their traditional Confucian culture. Whereas Japan, on the other hand, began to successfully mimic Western technology as it pursued modernization, and thus underwent an astounding social upheaval. Hence, by the year 1920, Japan was recognized as one of the world’s superpowers, whereas China was on the edge of anarchy.

    Read More

  • The Chaos and Division of Asia's History

    1313 Words  | 3 Pages

    The assigned readings about Asian history lead a unified conclusion that the past (history) of Asia was characterized with chaos and internal divisions. “China, once again entered an era of divisiveness and chaos. Competing warlords dominated China for the next 350 years” (The Golden Age of China: 79). China is a perfect symbol of Asia’s history because if studied from the past, the history of China demonstrates how divisions took place in the country’s political and economic spheres. China’s history reveals how the religion led to emergence of chaos in the country. This shows that religion, in the history of Asia, was more divisive than uniting when individual countries considered their religions as different. Religious harmonization of Buddhism and Daoism was important to ending the wars that emerged from the struggle for influence between kingdoms (The Golden Age of China: 80). The main reason for religion causing division in Asia’s history was because of competition between two main religions, Buddhism and Daoism. Asia’s history did not have divisions that lasted forever. Certain historical events, especially the emergence of the Sui dynasty in China was crucial in unifying Asians. Leadership approach, especially Yang Jian’s, was critical in the unification of China. Art and philosophy were important aspects in the history of China according to the findings of this paper’s analysis. These aspects were used as part of the historic leadership styles in the continent. Asia’s history also has an aspect of patriarchal leadership, with only one woman becoming an emperor in China.

    Read More

  • Racism, Sexism, and Sexuality Shown Through M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang

    1797 Words  | 4 Pages

    One particular topic mentioned was that of Orientalism. The theory pertains to foreign views on one another. An example would be what Gallimard says to Toulon in M. Butterfly: “The Orientals simply want to be associated with whoever shows the most strength and power” (36). The East is seen as the weaker race by the West and is often referred to as feminine. Because they are seen as weaker, they would obviously want ...

    Read More

  • European Imperialism in Africa and Asia

    1516 Words  | 4 Pages

    Introduction: The epoch of imperialism cannot be defined simply as a proliferation of inflated egos tied to the hardened opinions of nationalists, but also a multi-faceted global rivalry with roots of philosophies tainted with racism and social Darwinism. The technique of each imperialist was specific to the motivations and desires of each combative, predominantly Western power and subsequently impacted the success of each imperialist and its colonies. Driven by industrialization, Europeans are aware of the urgent need for raw materials and new markets to maintain a constant rate of expansion and wealth. Imperialism became a competition; in general, the European countries led with fervor while the non-Western regions deemed likely to be stepped on.

    Read More

  • 1450-1750 Eastern Asian Relations With Europe

    787 Words  | 2 Pages

    The East Asians, mostly China and Japan, both were trying to become or stay a great power, and did it different ways. Japan tried to isolate themselves by only allowing limited contact and no spreading of Christianity, as was talked about in document sixteen. China tried to keep up with them by using a strong legal system as was mentioned in document six, and government set up like the monarchs of Europe, in that the power is passed from father to son, as seen in document five.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast China And Japan's Response To Western Penetration

    917 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the 19th Century, China and Japan each responded differently to western penetration. China was against industrializing and did not want to create an empire like those of the western empires. Japan however learned that if they wanted to survive they had to adopt the changes that the western empires were adopting. Japan began to create an industrialized society and soon became one of the major industrial powers. China went through many rebellions and finally decided to industrialize just enough to be able to fight off the western empires. However, they did not industrialize fast enough or big enough, and they could not defeat the west. Although they responded differently, both China and Japan were affected by western penetration economically,

    Read More

  • When Asia Was The World Chapter Summaries

    1079 Words  | 3 Pages

    Stewart Gordon is an expert historian who specializes in Asian history. He is a Senior Research Scholar at the Center for South Asian Studies at the University of Michigan and has authored three different books on Asia. Gordon’s When Asia Was The World uses the narratives of several different men to explore The Golden Age of medieval Asia. The fact that this book is based on the travels and experiences of the everyday lives of real people gives the reader a feeling of actually experiencing the history. Gordon’s work reveals to the reader that while the Europeans were trapped in the dark ages, Asia was prosperous, bursting with culture, and widely connected by trade. This book serves to teach readers about the varieties of cultures, social practices, and religions that sprang from and spread out from ancient Asia itself and shows just how far Asia was ahead of the rest of the world

    Read More

  • The Project

    1014 Words  | 3 Pages

    Two important, mighty Asian empires in history are the Ottoman Empire and the Ming China. These two empires are in totally different areas of Asia – the Ottomans were in the very west, the Chinese were in the oriental east. Therefore, these two empires, naturally, formed completely different cultures. However, surprisingly, these empires had many parts in common as well. The Ottoman Empire and the Ming Dynasty had both many different and distinct parts, as well as many similarities.

    Read More

  • The Enlightenment Set the Stage for New Imperialism

    1371 Words  | 3 Pages

    New imperialism was the mid nineteenth and twentieth centuries cultural equivalent to a modern day mafia, its roots entangled in the economic, cultural, and humanistic aspects of life. The sole objective of the nations entailed the exploitation of their controlled state. Gestating from the change in control of Asian and African nations to the Europeans by means of political deviance, malicious sieges, and strategic military attacks. The juxtaposition to the modern equivalent endures as the aforesaid is sheltered by the fairytale that these nations were in need of aid and by doing so the Europeans were the good guys. The ideas of new imperialism are greatly influenced by those of the enlightenment. Taking place during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the enlightenment was an intellectual movement with the goal of social progress (Genova, 1/11). Armed with scientific thought and reason, enlightenment thinkers set out to explore the fields of science, economics, and human nature. Brilliant minds such as Voltaire, Kant and others all across Western Europe collaborated to further knowledge. The enlightenment laid the foundation on which new imperialism sprung, embedding the ideas of an incessant need to explore not only the scientific world but the physical world as well. The enlightenments goals and ideas significantly influenced new imperialism, because the enlightenment created a need for new means and a purpose to accrue them.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The West Unique, Not Universal

    701 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout history, Western civilization has been an emerging force behind change in foreign societies. This is the concept that is discussed in the article the West Unique, Not Universal, written by Samuel Huntington. The author makes a very clear thesis sentence and uses a variety of evidence to support it. This article has a strong very convincing point. The thoughts expressed in this article can be related to a lot of events throughout history.

    Read More

  • Edward Said's Orientalism

    894 Words  | 2 Pages

    Europe is always in a position of strength, The Oriental is irrational, depraved, childlike, "different", thus the European is rational, virtuous, mature, "normal".

    Read More

  • Japan And China In The 21st Century Essay

    1922 Words  | 4 Pages

    The 21st Century has witnessed Asia’s rapid ascent to economic prosperity. As economic gravity shifts from the Western world to the Asian region, the “tyranny of distance [between states, will be] … replaced by the prospects of proximity” in transnational economic, scientific, political, technological, and social develop relationships (Australian Government, 1). Japan and China are the region’s key business exchange partners. Therefore these countries are under obligation to steer the region through the Asian Century by committing to these relationships and as a result create business networks, boost economic performance, and consequently necessitate the adjustment of business processes and resources in order to accommodate each country’s employment relations model (Wiley, Wilkinson, & Young, 2005). Cognizant of the fact that neither Japan nor China has given up on its external (protectionism or parity) adjustment tools, it is posited that they can nonetheless coexist since both “produce different things and in different ways” and as such avoid the cited perilous US and Mexico competition; but due to globalization, the operating environment portends a convergence or divergence of Industrial Relation (ER) strategies between China and Japan (Lipietz, 1997; Zhu & Warner, 2004).

    Read More

  • Reflection of Modern East Asia

    895 Words  | 2 Pages

    From covering Japan’s perilous imperial rule to analyzing Korea’s ambivalent adoption of democratic governance, Modern East Asia explored a broad range of subjects important for one who aspires to understand Asia holistically. Much time was even spent examining China’s horrid history at the hands of foreign meddling, giving insight into a nation feared as the future #1 economic power of the world. Although we covered a broad range of topics, each was given particular attention, never skipping major events or characters which shaped Asia’s history over the last several hundred years. Essentially, this class provided an open atmosphere for students to learn the intricate history of major Asian countries in addition to sharing ideas on the effectiveness of their pre-modern governance.

    Read More

More about Interactions and Aspects: Asia and the Western World

Open Document