European History: Lessons for Muslims

A short summary of the main ideas is available in the one page newspaper version: European Transition to Secular Thought. The full length article is attached at bottom of page: EHL4Mv8.doc -- and it can be downloaded from there.

The version which can be read here on the website is slightly older (EHL4Mv6), and has been updated.

"Consider that in 1800 Western powers claimed 55 percent but actually held approximately 35 percent of the earth's surface, and that by 1874 the proportion was 67 percent, a rate of increase of 83,000 square miles per year. By 1914, the annual rate had risen to an astonishing 240,000 square miles [per year], and Europe held a grand total of roughly 85 percent of the earth as colonies, protectorates, dependencies, dominions, and commonwealths. No other associated set of colonies in history was as large, none so totally dominated, none so unequal in power to the Western metropolis." - Edward Said