Perilous Passage: Mankind and the Global Ascendancy of Capital (World Social Change)

In this innovative and ambitious global history, distinguished economic historian Amiya Kumar Bagchi critically analyzes the processes leading to the rise of the West since the sixteenth century to its current position as the most prosperous and powerful group of nations in the world. Integrating the history of armed conflict with the history of competition for trade, investment, and markets, Bagchi explores the human consequences for people both within and outside the region. He characterizes the emergence and operation of capitalism as a system driven by wars over resources and markets rather than one that genuinely operates on the principle of free markets. In tracing this history, he also charts what happened to the people who came under its sway during the last five centuries. Bagchi thus broadens our understanding of the nature and history of capitalism and challenges the fetishism of commodities that limits the perspective of most economic historians. The book also challenges the Eurocentrism that still underlies the conceptual framework of many mainstream historians, joining earlier narratives that chronicle the history of human beings as living persons rather than as puppets serving the abstract cause of'economic growth.'His unflinching examination of the human costs of development—not only in the colonial periphery but in the core nations—includes not only economic processes and issues of inequality within and among nations but also the intertwining of economics and war-making on a world scale. The book also contributes to our knowledge of how and in what sequence human health has been shaped by public health care, sanitation, modern medicine, income levels and nutrition. Written with extraordinary range and depth, Perilous Passage will change the ways in which we think about many of the largest issues in world history and development. In This Global History, Distinguished Economic Historian Amiya Kumar Bagchi Critically Analyzes The Processes Leading To The Rise Of The West Since The Sixteenth Century To Its Current Position As The Most Prosperous And Powerful Group Of Nations In The World. Integrating The History Of Armed Conflict With The History Of Competition For Trade, Investment, And Markets, Bagchi Explores The Human Consequences For People Both Within And Outside The Region. He Characterizes, The Emergences And Operation Of Capitalism As A System Driven By Wars Over Resources And Markets Rather Than One That Genuinely Operates On The Principle Of Free Markets. In Tracing This History, He Also Charts What Happened To The People Who Come Under Its Sway During The Last Five Centuries.--jacket. Part I. Conceptual Issues: Human Development And Capitalist Growth : The History Of Human Development As The Subject Of History -- The Construction Of The European Miracle -- Profit-seeking Under Actually Existing Capitalism And Human Development -- Part Ii. Capitalist Competition And Human Development In Europe : The Race For Dominance Among The Western European Countries Since The Sixteenth Century -- Population Growth And Mortality Between The Sixteenth And Nineteenth Centuries: A First Look -- The Netherlands: Rise And Fall Of A Hegemonic Power -- The Delayed Transition To A Low-mortality Regime In Europe And North America -- Literacy In Western Europe Since The Sixteenth Century -- Part Iii. The World Beyond Europe In The Age Of Emergence Of European Dominance : China's Economic Development And The Quality Of Life Between The Sixteenth And Eighteenth Centuries -- India Under Mughal Rule And After -- Conducting Trade In Asia Before And After The European Advent -- Reconsidering Japanese Exceptionalism -- Capitalist Competition, Colonialism And The Physical Well-being Of Non-european Peoples -- The Civilizing Mission And Racialization: From Native Americans To Asians -- The Civilizing Mission In Lands Taken By The European Settlers From The Original Inhabitants -- Intercontinental Resource Flows Sustaining The Ascent Of The European Powers -- Colonial Tribute And Profits, 1870s Onward -- Demographic Disasters In The Colonies And Semicolonies In The Heyday Of European Colonialism -- Part Iv. The Twentieth Century: Anti-systemic Struggles, Wars And Challenges To Global Capital -- Setting The Stage For Megawars -- Revolution, Nazism, Japanese Militarism And World War Ii -- Imperialism And Wars In The Late Twentieth Century -- Capitalism And Uneven Development In The Twentieth Century -- Destruction And Renewal In The Neoliberal Global Order -- Contradictions, Challenges And Resistance. Amiya Kumar Bagchi. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 339-382) And Index. In this innovative and ambitious global history, distinguished economic historian Amiya Kumar Bagchi critically analyzes the processes leading to the rise of the West since the sixteenth century to its current position as the most prosperous and powerful group of nations in the world. Integrating the history of armed conflict with the history of competition for trade, investment, and markets, Bagchi explores the human consequences for people both within and outside the region. He characterizes the emergence and operation of capitalism as a system driven by wars over resources and markets rather than one that genuinely operates on the principle of free markets. In tracing this history, he also charts what happened to the people who came under its sway during the last five centuries. Bagchi thus broadens our understanding of the nature and history of capitalism and challenges the fetishism of commodities that limits the perspective of most economic historians. The book also challenges the Eurocentrism that still underlies the conceptual framework of many mainstream historians, joining earlier narratives that chronicle the history of human beings as living persons rather than as puppets serving the abstract cause of "economic growth." His unflinching examination of the human costs of developmentnot only in the colonial periphery but in the core nationsincludes not only economic processes and issues of inequality within and among nations but also the intertwining of economics and war-making on a world scale. The book also contributes to our knowledge of how and in what sequence human health has been shaped by public health care, sanitation, modern medicine, income levels and nutrition. Written with extraordinary range and depth, Perilous Passage will change the ways in which we think about many of the largest issues in world history and development. In this innovative and ambitious global history, distinguished economic historian Amiya Kumar Bagchi traces the global history of human change and survival under the sway of capitalism since the voyages of Columbus. Writing with extraordinary range and depth, he offers a critical analysis of the history and human costs and consequences of development in Europe and North America, and in major regions such as India, China, Japan, and Africa. Bagchi critically characterizes the emergence and operation of capitalism as a system driven by wars over resources and markets rather than one that genuinely operates on the principle of free markets. His unflinching examination of the human toll—in the periphery as well in the core nations—includes not only economic processes and issues of inequality within and among nations, but also the intertwining of economics and war-making on a world scale. Bagchi's compelling vision will change the ways in which we think about many of the largest issues in the world history and development over the past 500 years.

About the Author:
Amiya Kumar Bagchi is the founder and director of the Institute of Development Studies in Calcutta, India