Before the European Challenge: The Great Civilizations of Asia and the Middle East

The West fails to embrace the globe, and the East still looks to its own variegated past. Here is a comparative account of the spirit and development of the main civilizations in Asia before their confrontation with Modern Europe. In many respects, what is going on in Asia and in the Middle East now is a response to the prolonged European challenge. In places it is marked by a selective reception of Western values and techniques, while elsewhere preference is given to inspiration from the domestic tradition. This book aims to contribute to the understanding of these traditions. It takes the form of a historical narrative and gives a comparative insight of the world-views, values, and institutions.