Every book can be summarized in 6 paragraphs….
- Galaxia Gutenberg Editorial. Edition 2019.
- Author: Pankaj Mishra
- Book for interested in: Asia, colonialism in Asia, history, policy, philosophy and literature.
- What will? A profound dissection of European colonialism in Asia in the 19th and 20th centuries from the perspective of intellectuals, local activists and politicians at the time. The book teaches a thought hidden for centuries by the colonial roller and dismantles many myths.
Paragraph 1
At a date as late as 1708, The president of the East India Company considered it essential to prostrate himself at the feet of the Mughal emperor to address him and described himself as 'the smallest particle of sand', rubbing his forehead on the floor for what he would like to order.
The Indian essayist begins by explaining the strength of countries like India and China before the 19th century, and that Industrial and technological Revolution in Europe that modified the international board.
Paragraph 2
Asians often overwhelm the curious network of facts and fantasy that has been woven over us. We are portrayed as the people who feed on the Loto perfume, When not mice and cockroaches (…) Indian spirituality has been mocked and equated with ignorance, Chinese sobriety to stupidity, and Japanese patriotism is seen as a consequence of fatalism. It has been said that we are less sensitive to pain and injury due to the insensitivity of our nervous organization., wrote Okakura Kakuzo, japanese philosopher, at the beginning of the 20th century”.
The phrase collected in a text from the beginning of the 20th century belongs to the Japanese philosopher Okakura Kakuzo. Mishra's work is an overwhelming portrait of phrases and opinions of Asian intellectuals who for decades denounced the image that was being built of their culture in Europe..
Paragraph 3
Intoxicated by the intoxicating wine of newly acquired power, fearsome like wild animals that do not know how to differentiate good from evil, women slaves, insane in their lust, soaked from head to toe in alcohol, unclean, materialists, taking wealth from others... that is the image of the Western devil in the eyes of the Indians.
In this case, the phrase belongs to the late 19th century Indian thinker and religious leader Suami Vivekananda. They are voices from then, not from now, that have not been heard in Europe for a long time. And they are key voices, that are marking current politics, of new generations who judge that period of time as a grievance. That which is called the Global South and which views with suspicion a West that is accused of being hypocritical..
Paragraph 4
I'm sure of one thing: If one looks for the truth about the Philippines in the history books of the Spanish, will not doubt for a moment that the country is ignorant and unclean (…). Don't let the white children, laughing behind our backs and clapping our hands with glee, take paper and pen and write our story.
Mishra collects here the words of the Chinese thinker Tang Tiaoding at the beginning of the 20th century. This is a very recurring thought of a work that seeks to regain control of the story of its own history..
Paragraph 5
I would like to go to Afghanistan and invite the people of that country, that like a wild lion he is not afraid to shed his blood and does not admit hesitation in war, especially in holy war, to undertake a religious dispute.
The phrase of 1879 In this case it corresponds to Al Afghani, activist who wanted to modernize Islam at the end of the 19th century to avoid what he considered humiliation by European powers. The shocking thing about that sentence, as always happens with that necessary look that is history, is that it is almost a prophecy applicable to everything that happened in the country in the 20th and 21st centuries..
Paragraph 6
The frequency of elections contributed to policy myopia and cheap populism. People who entered democratic politics tended to be third-rate; many, too many American presidents had been mediocre and uninspiring. The best aspects of American democracy were local and too specific to the United States to adapt to China..
Mishra talks about the trip of the Chinese thinker and activist Liang Qichao to the US at the beginning of the 20th century. There, Explain the book, the oriental is disappointed with the democracy and society he finds. The book, general, It is a valuable testimony of Asian thought on Westerners. The West is used to questioning systems and values ??of others and here the opposite happens.. Occasionally, by contrast, lack of self-criticism and analysis of Asian problems in the face of a waste of attacks and accusations of everything colonial that sometimes borders on the same racism that the text denounces. But that is precisely the value of a highly recommended book to learn., understand and even discuss with him, since it gives voice to Asian thoughts and feelings in the face of Western colonialism.
| Style | 9,10/10 |
| Content | 9,80/10 |
| Valoración | 9,45/10 |
