Aziz provokes an interesting discussion over at Dean’s World by asking “How would you define ‘the West’?”
Historically, i.e. starting in 330 CE, the term was used to distinguish the western Roman Empire whose official language was Latin from the eastern Roman Empire whose official language was Greek. As such its borders extended from roughly the Vrbas River on the east, the Danube and the Rhine on the north, the Mediterranean on the south, and extended west to include Britain south of Hadrian’s Wall.
Until about 1950 “the West” could reasonably be described as everybody whose ancestors were born in that area plus Ireland, Scotland, and Scandinavia prior to 1500 and the colonies of those countries with a majority of people of European descent. Starting in 1950 the term began to be applied to everybody allied against the Soviet Union and its allies.
Nowadays I don’t believe the term has any real meaning. There are too many people living in Europe and North America who patently aren’t part of “the West” (regardless of their ancestry) and too many people who don’t live in Europe and North America (regardless of their ancestry) who patently are.
It’s no longer easily definable by geography or by race. But it does represent a set of values and principles traceable to the ancient Greeks. It is a conscious decision by an individual to become a member of “the West.” One may be a Western person in a most un-Western society. But certain nations and governments, too, can put themselves within the Western inheritance.
If you’d amend that to “traceable to ancient Greeks and, apparently, approved and transmitted by Christians†I’d agree completely. 😉 You may recall that as I see it Greek thought as it has come down to us and Christianity are inextricably entwined.
I think of it as those nations whose institutions are based on the Enlightenment (British or French variation) values of life/liberty/property or liberty/equality/brotherhood.
For example, Japan and Taiwan and S Korea – with their representative governments, respect for property rights in general and individual self-ownership in particular, and transparent public institutions – are all Western nations, while many S. American nations really aren’t despite their geography and legacy.
Jeff, I think you’re answering a somewhat different question: what is modernity? Is “the West” synonymous with modernity?
Yes, amendment approved. Ancient Greek conceptions trasmitted (transmuted?) by the Catholic Church, expanded by the Protestants, and re-rooted in classical soil by the Enlightenment!
That’s a hard question to answer, Dave. My initial thought has to be, “no”. I cannot defend this right now, because I smell dinner and haven’t folded the clothes, but I’ll be back once I’ve eaten, done my chores, and thought about this.