This essay compares how interpretations of ‘the’ world differ based on ‘my’ world, specifically in how the British Empire viewed some of the native populations it ruled.
Nathaniel Breier ERH-321WX-02 Reading Response Paper #1
Help Received/Sources: Asked Yuri Panchick about format of paper (single or double spaced), used “Explanations of Racial Difference from the Enlightenment” and “White Man’s Burden” from readings. Used previous Fact Sheet assignment for information on India and HI-310X-01 War and Society in Modern China (VMI Class I am currently taking) for information on China.
Signature: Nathaniel Breier
Mr. Devdutt Pattanaik goes into detail defining, and detailing the differences between ‘my’ world and ‘the’ world. Where ‘my’ world is subjective and is based upon belief, myths, religion and interpretation, ‘the’ world is based upon facts, universal truths and science. Reconciling the two is one of the key conflicts of the human condition. In relations to this class, the differences between how the British interpreted the world and reality played a key role in how the British treated those under their rule and indeed explains in part how they justified that rule.
How the British interpreted the world can be found in such works as the famous poem “White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling, as well as various explanations of racial differences produced during the Enlightenment. In the first, Kipling describes the burden of whites as:
“…The savage wars of peace – Fill full the mouth of Famine And bid the sickness cease; And when your goal is nearest The end for others sought, Watch Sloth and heathen Folly Bring all your hope to nought.”
This reflects the view of the British that the places they were colonizing and ruling were places of hunger, war and sickness brought on by the laziness and foolishness of the natives. This could not be further from the truth. While places like India and China were indeed going through downturns during the late 18th and 19th centuries, they had both during the centuries prior been ruled by the Mughal and Qing Empires respectively, both of which had come to rule over the modern land area of the modern nations. This is no small feat given the diverse populations that live in those areas and is hardly indicative of either sloth or folly.
In the handout given to ERH-321WX-02 “Explanations of Racial Difference From the Enlightenment”, Immanuel Kant cites a Mr. Hume as challenging “…anyone to cite a single example in which a Negro has shown talents”. A notable example that directly refutes this would be Mansa Musa, otherwise known as Musa I of Mali. He is notable for ruling over the kingdom of Mali during the early 1300s. He is most known for making an extravagant pilgrimage from Mali (on the west coast of Africa) to Mecca on the Arabian Peninsula. However, during his reign, the kingdom of Mali was greatly expanded, both in terms of land area as well as infrastructure (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Musa-I-of-Mali). Both the pilgrimage to Mecca and the expansion of Mali indicate a level of logistics that is at least on par with anything Europe was doing at the time, given that most European nations were coming off of the Crusades at that time (personal estimate based on world history classes taken years ago).
In both examples of British writings on the other regions of the world, the authors express the subjective views that the British, and whites in general, were the superior race. However, this goes against facts, or against what Mr. Pattanaik describes as the definition of “the” world. Perhaps this is because of the lack of information that they had, specifically in regards to Mansa Musa, who had lived and died hundreds of years before the British became involved in Africa.
However, the British would have had dealings with both the Mughal and Qing Dynasties in India and China. In these cases, they would have been exposed to evidence in terms of written histories, archaeology and what they could physically see when they traveled in these areas in terms of architecture, art, etc. This highlights the stark contrast that can happen between “my” world and “the” world. In the British world, they built a mythology around how they, whites, were naturally superior to the other races of the world, despite the facts that could be found in the world that would refute that and that other races could do just as well as they could.
Bibliography
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Musa-I-of-Mali
“East vs West: The Myths that Mystify” Devdutt Pattanaik Ted Talk.
https://www.britannica.com/place/India
“White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling
“Explanations of Racial Difference From the Enlightenment” Handout