Western civilization is the body of art, literature, culture, and timeless concepts that originated in the eastern Mediterranean in the pre-Common Era during the 17 to 19th centuries. It evolved in many ways during the Middle Ages and finally took on its present shape following the Renaissance. The philosophies and sciences of Latin and Arabic, as well as the final aims of the modern or Renaissance, were all products of Greek philosophical study.
The Hebrew Bible is the foundation for the three major world faiths of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, as well as modern society’s moral code (Cole & Symes, 2020). One may praise Western civilization’s achievements without disparaging other cultures in the world. Various factors contributed to the rise of western cultures, such as the European invasion, international trade, and culture. It is essentially a symbol of ignorance instead of enlightenment to claim superiority for “the West’s” culture as if there were some outstanding excellence to the collection of ideas that eventually expanded out over the narrow European peninsula that stretches westward from the Asian continent.
There are undoubtedly many spectacular developments made by Western civilization, but plenty is not all that great. United and interdependent social components were the leading force in Western Civilization development. For instance, the industrial revolution was a significant cause that spurred Western Civilization because of the demand for raw materials for industries in some nations (Cole & Symes, 2020).
As monarchs were united by similar factors like the search for raw materials for their industries, alliances and conflicts emerged. Monarchs that differed ideologically started their own goals to pursue. Some nations even extended their pursuit of goals in overseas countries due to the stiff competition posed by their rivals. Monarchs that extended to overseas nations opened up international trade routes whereby goods would be manufactured in the nations and sold to their overseas markets. Economic prosperity played a significant role in the rise of Western civilization. From the Pleistocene to the Paleolithic era, human civilization developed and grew more organized, producing a surplus that could be exchanged.
Concerning the production of particular crops, materials, and fabrics given, primitive agricultural production, climatic factors, and topography naturally generated areas with comparative advantages. The riches in things that a civilization or kingdom could not produce on its own had to be accumulated through commerce. After more than 200 years of development and global expansion, modern western civilization achieved its zenith in the second half of the 20th century (Cole & Symes, 2020). The idea was driven by a solid social contract, technological development, and widespread economic success within a democratic and capitalist environment. Unfortunately, insatiable societal desires and the rise of the global population have intensified adverse effects that have accelerated socioeconomic collapse.
The three separate traditions that made up Western civilization were the Enlightenment of the contemporary age, the Christian faith, especially Western Christianity, and Greece and Rome’s classical culture. The classical culture was the first Western tradition. Greece, for instance, offered the concept of democracy, while Rome led belief in an empire. Greece and Rome, respectively, also supplied the concepts of liberty and law.
These concepts united to form the vital Western idea of liberty under the by-law (Cole & Symes, 2020). Christianity significantly influenced western civilization in various ways. Christian theology upheld and advanced the idea of liberty by law by founding the sacredness of the individual believer and inspiring submission to Christ more substantial than any ruler. In its protracted struggle with regional kings and the Holy Roman Emperor, Christian establishments, especially the Roman Catholic Church’s pope, left the West with the idea of separation and, thus, a constraint of powers.
The contemporary Enlightenment, which gave rise to the concepts of the free market, liberal democracy, and the conviction that reason and science are the best tools for understanding the world, was the third root of Western civilization (Cole & Symes, 2020). More specifically, the 1789 French Revolution emphasized rationality and democracy, while Britain’s 1688 “Glorious” Revolution emphasized freedom and constitutionalism.
In this era, elected governments with written constitutions replaced monarchies. Hence sovereign nations were established. European society began to undergo several significant transformations around the 15th century. The consolidation of the monarchy succeeded feudal systems of power as trade increased, communities prospered, printing spread, and commerce were generally practiced due to the deployment of gunpowder troops.
The Italian Renaissance-inspired discoveries sparked an interest. A separate and rigorous viewpoint on the universe that we now refer to as “science” emerged during this time. This would lead to unparalleled technological development and economic growth (Cole & Symes, 2020). European explorers started mapping the world’s marine coastlines and exploring uncharted territory. Wherever explorers went, traders, conquistadors, and settlers followed. Riches from international trade routes transformed Europe’s society and economy and laid the foundation for European supremacy on a global scale.
Early in the offshore development, Europeans occupied an entire planet, South America, North America, the United States, and Canada (Cole & Symes, 2020). The Reformation broke the western European Christian world into two hostile groups, which coincided with the religious strife that was tearing Europe asunder at the time. Most of northern Europe was dominated by Protestantism, while the Roman Catholic Church still ruled southern Europe. Protestants pushed for a new, more straightforward type of Christianity, and their focus on one’s spirituality opened the path for more tolerance of personal preference.
Reference
Cole, & Symes. (2020). Western Civilizations (5th ed.). W. W. Norton, Incorporated.