The Future of the Non-Western World in the Social Sciences of 19th Century England

This book investigates what 19th century political economists, social evolutionists, anthropologists and new liberals, on whom modern development theorists draw heavily, and whom modern underdevelopment theorists attack mercilessly, had to say about the future of the non-Western World. Principally this book examines how these great minds of last century addressed the following questions: - Can non-Western nations develop further and repeat the changes that have occurred in Western nations since the 18th century? - Are the interactions between Western nations and non-Western nations obstacles or moving forces to the development of the latter? - Can the experience of Western nations serve as a guideline by means of which the non-Western nations can escape from stagnation? This book concludes that the 19th century social scientists' position laid closer to the underdevelopment theorists than to the development theorists.

Autorentext

The Author: Ricardo King Sang Mak, Ph.D. (Regensburg), M.A., Ba Hons (The Chinese University of Hong Kong), Assistant Professor in History, Hong Kong Baptist University. Major research areas include Sino-German relations and the transmission of Western thoughts to modern China.

Inhalt
Contents: Free Trade, Liberty and Population Growth - 19th century Political Economists views of the future of non-Western nations - Stagnant non-Western nations in Herbert Spencer's scheme of evolution - Westernization - Maine's and Tylor's solution for primitive societies - Old Wine in New Bottles - Hobson on Free Trade and Progress.