W10, the geopolitics
The article discusses the idea that history of capitalism as narrated by Giovanni Arrighi, Fernard braudel and Wallerstein and Western epistemology history as it has been understood since European Renaissance complement each other. The above idea holds that spreading of Western capitalism was an indication of Western epistemology in regard to all of its impacts from the basic reason that accompanied industrial revolution and capitalism, to criticism of state and capitalism and various state theories. In relation to this, modernity is different from modern-world system whereby modernity relates to philosophy, literature and history of concepts but the system of the modern world relates to the idea of social sciences.
In addition, modernity and post-modernity can be traced to the western civilization with its origin being Greece while the idea of modern world-class system indicates some show of power instead of a continuous succession of events. The later forms the basis for colonial power theories. However, the writer suggests that the two are interrelated even though they are distinct. In earlier centuries – 18th century - colonialism was not of importance to European countries and the major reason for moving to other countries was for commercial purposes rather than political conversion. Dependency theory is deemed to explain dependency as a strategy used in exercising colonial power and organized interstate system hierarchically which is even seen today in Third World. Essentially, the article describes colonial differences as a result of colonilaity of power and other aspects in post modernity like neoliberal and neo-socialism.
The article rightly relates western epistemology and colonialism are closely related and can seen in modernity and modern-world systems which both involve succession of various past events and a need for various countries to assert their power. Western civilization led to colonialism due a need to increase the reach of power among countries and the need for commercial opportunities and these are the origin of modernity and post-modernity.
Reference
Mignolo, W. (2002). The geopolitics of knowledge and the colonial difference. The South Atlantic Quarterly, 101(1).
