Annotations on The Myth of the European Miracle

Annotation: The Myth Of The European Miracle
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Annotation: The Myth Of The European Miracle
The allegations that the developing countries are poor because the inhabitants are inferior beings are untrue. Roberts (1989, p. 52) states, “The racist arguments had been decisively rejected: no longer was it argued that non-Europeans are genetically inferior to Europeans and that it is this inferiority that explains why they lagged behind in history.” Europeans and the developed world did not develop because those countries’ inhabitants were biologically superior to non-Europeans, as proposed by Eurocentric theorists. Europe developed because it reached the development stage earlier than others, as it is proven that Europe was at the same stage of development as the developing countries before 1492 (Roberts, 1989). According to modernization theorists like Rostow, Europe developed during the industrialization period and exported development to other countries like the Americas; hence, Europe is obligated to colonize Africa and other non-European countries to steer them to the same level of development.
The superiority of the European culture was justified by theorists who argued that “Europe in 1492 was more modernized, or was modernizing more rapidly, than the rest of the world” (Roberts, 1989, p. 59). The argument has been supported by cultural beliefs accepted by others because they support the myth of European superiority. However, it is vital to note that culture is dynamic, and people’s beliefs differ according to their culture. Culture has been used to support the myth that Europe developed due to their superior genes inherited from their ancestors. The beliefs about European superiority were supported by explicit beliefs which lay in a matrix of implicit opinions. Non-Europeans were believed to be cruel, barbaric deceitful, and stupid, and these stereotypical beliefs were passed from one generation to another unquestioned and unchallenged. Christianity was used to support the myth of European superiority. It was believed that the white Christian God would make his people more extraordinary than others; hence, Europeans were superior. Thus, religion and culture were cited as responsible for European development.
Eurocentric scholars have cited Europe developed faster than the developing countries because “Europeans began with a ...