
Why Europe?
The Medieval Origins of Its Special Path
Michael Mitterauer(Author)
University of Chicago Press
Published on 15. July 2010
Book
Hardback
400 pages
978-0-226-53253-0 (ISBN)
Description
Why did capitalism and colonialism arise in Europe and not elsewhere? Why were parliamentarian and democratic forms of government founded there? What factors led to Europe's unique position in shaping the world? Thoroughly researched and persuasively argued, "Why Europe?" tackles these classic questions with illuminating results. Michael Mitterauer traces the roots of Europe's singularity to the medieval era, specifically to developments in agriculture. While most historians have located the beginning of Europe's special path in the rise of state power in the modern era, Mitterauer establishes its origins in rye and oats. These new crops played a decisive role in remaking the European family, he contends, spurring the rise of individualism and softening the constraints of patriarchy. Mitterauer reaches these conclusions by comparing Europe with other cultures, especially China and the Islamic world, while surveying the most important characteristics of European society as they took shape from the decline of the Roman empire to the invention of the printing press. Along the way, "Why Europe?" offers up a dazzling series of novel hypotheses to explain the unique evolution of European culture.
Reviews / Votes
"Michael Mitterauer, the Viennese medievalist, has written a great book....Mitterauer has something to teach even veteran historians." - Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung "An outstanding work of nonfiction both conceptually and in its wealth of surprising details." - Rheinischer Merkur.More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Chicago
United States
Publishing group
The University of Chicago Press
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 23 mm
Width: 16 mm
Thickness: 3 mm
Weight
709 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-226-53253-0 (9780226532530)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
07/2010
1st Edition
University of Chicago Press
€86.19
Available for download
Persons
Michael Mitterauer is professor of social history at the University of Vienna and the author of numerous books, including A History of Youth. Gerald Chapple is associate professor of German at McMaster University.