Political geography debates no. 3: On the significance of 1492

Abstract Before 1492, development in the Eastern Hemisphere was proceeding evenly; at the continental scale, Europe had no advantage over Africa and Asia as to level, rate, or direction of development. The selective rise of Europe began after 1492 and resulted, primordially, from the capital accumulated in colonial activities, mainly in the Americas. The argument concerning evenness of development before 1492 has been put forward by the author in prior publications and is summarized and elaborated in this essay. The proposition that colonialism explains the unique development of Europe and the centration of capitalism in Europe, and the subsidiary proposition that the beginnings of colonialism in 1492 resulted from locational factors, not from any special qualities within European society, are the main arguments of the essay.

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