Five Partings of Way in World History: A Comparison- Translated by Bradley Schmidt and Bryn Roberts

by Gottfried Schramm

Overview

This comparative analysis argues that there were four or, more likely, five major turning points of world history, whose lasting effects are being felt to this day. These turning points show striking resemblances to each other: An apparently coherent community of shared convictions and a shared way of life splits unexpectedly in two, with one section swerving off on the road to a radically new set of values. This has probably been true of the rise of monotheism in opposition to the existing polytheistic norms of Oriental cultures. It has been true of the primitive Christian Church breaking away from Judaism. It was true of the Protestants breaking away from Rome. It also has been true for two secular revolutions: the independence of the United States of America inventing the republican order of representative democracy, and the Russian Revolution, when the revolutionaries decided to give up on peaceful socialism and resort to violence.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783631644294
Publisher:	Peter Lang GmbH, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften
Publication date:	01/15/2014
Pages:	381
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.27(h) x (d)

About the Author

Gottfried Schramm held the chair of Modern and East European History at the University of Freiburg (Germany) from 1965 to 1994. He has published widely on the history of Russia, Poland, and the Balkans.

Table of Contents

Contents: Comparative analysis of the shared pattern in the emergence of monotheism – Christianity – Protestantism – Representative democracy – The Russian Revolution: a radical and unexpected challenge to existing sets of values from within, with long lasting consequences for world history.