World History. (Third Part) The Development and Choice of Modern Civilization (Plain)

Author: Wang Sidé (Editor-in-Chief), Zheng Yinda, Yu Weimin (Authors)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-09-01
Features: The history of humanity, the history of human civilization and society, and the history of the world are three concepts that are both overlapping and distinct, structured similarly to concentric circles. Among them, the history of humanity is the broadest circle, covering more than 300 million years since the first human groups appeared on Earth. The history of human civilization generally refers to the period of human history that has moved beyond barbarism and savagery, developed cultural heritage, and formed social operational mechanisms, with such a civilized and social history spanning approximately 5,000 to 6,000 years. The history of the world, on the other hand, is the smallest circle, referring to the history since the modern industrial civilization era when human society entered a phase of holistic development and formed a global system structure. As Marx and Engels said, "Large-scale industry for the first time created world history, because it made the satisfaction of the needs of every civilized country and of every individual within those countries dependent on the whole world, because it destroyed the isolated state of previously naturally formed nations. This era of industrial civilization began around the 16th to 18th centuries and continues to develop to this day. A World History, as its name implies, provides a comprehensive overview of world history, and its object of study should be the development process of human society as a holistic historical movement. It differs from national and regional histories primarily because it takes 'the world'—the entirety of human society—as its object of study and research scope. It also distinguishes itself from broader human history or the history of human civilization by establishing a central concept of 'the world' that carries a special structural meaning rather than a general, vague reference to human society. Currently, the movement of world history driven by economic globalization is pushing human civilization toward new heights. Learning from the past to understand the present and look to the future, people entering the new century need more than ever to examine the past, comprehend the present, and envision the future with the lens of world history. We hope that this new edition of A World History will contribute to meeting this need.