Europe was a marginal global player before capitalism

Evidence

The origin of this myth is based in Europe’s transformation and its subsequent rise to global dominance. Up until 1500 or so, Europe was a marginal player on the world stage relative to other great powers (such as the Ottomans, Chinese, and Indians). It overcame its backwardness thanks in no small part to the rise of capitalism. The question of the origins of capitalism is a complex and hotly debated issue, and I will not discuss it here. For our purposes, let me state that the growth of capitalism conferred various advantages—technological, military, communication, and so on—which led first to European dominance over world trade and then eventually to colonialism and imperialism. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 87

Categorization

• XREF: Grounds the ‘Oriental despotism’ myth’s material basis in capitalism’s rise — directly serves the reader’s question about which material interest each myth protects. — connects to: Latin America’s underdevelopment stems from its early insertion into world capitalism.; European economic and cultural backwardness, not superiority, preceded its hegemony; European hegemony resulted from mercantile capitalism, not inherent cultural superiority