Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World is a book by Jack Weatherford that focus on the developments that took place in Europe many centuries age. A trade revolution saw that mongoloids make remarkable changes that transformed the continent. Genghis Khan is the focus of the story considering his decision to retract from the European society and adopted into the mongolism. The attitude thaw s held against the mongolism during this point of time considered him an outcast who did not have the interests of the people at heart. Mongol were hunters and gathers who moved from one nation to the other carrying out their trade activities. They were also considered nomads with no specific place of settlement (Lococo, 62). Their hunting skills enabled them displace many people and imposed their culture on them.
The book focuses on the positive impacts that this despised group of people had on trading activities as well as other nations. They opened up trade links between Asia and Europe which ked to massive developments. The book also highlights on how the mongolism influenced the cultural perspective of Europe that minimized on their interactions with other nations. Even though they learned it the hard way, they realized that their minds had been so locked that they did not realize the treasure that was in other communities (Weatherford, 60). The main reason why Genghis retracted from the European community to join the mongolism was because of the potential that he saw in them. He considered them to be a simple group of people who were courageous in what they were doing. They had great potential to change a nation if they were given a chance. Despite the fact that they were just immigrants in search of trade opportunities, they were not intimidated by the natives and believed they could obtain what they wanted.
One notable feature that the book highlights about the Mongols was the fact that they fought their way towards success. They had absolute trust in what they did which required the natives to either oblige or suffer. The fact that they were not interested in the resources of the natives, but rather to exchange what they had with what they wanted. They in fact brought into Europe more than what they had obtained. After seeing the potential that was in the nation, they decided to settle there and completely influence its civilization. Some the artifacts that they brought to the nation became the basis under which attracted other countries such as china and India to carry out the trade practices (Weatherford, 88). It should also be noted that the fearless nature of the Mongols made the European continent realize that they were not strong enough to counter their enemies. They underestimated the strength of the Mongols and considered them as mere hunters. However, as they employed their hunting skills of war and their experience in fighting other wild people they met on their way taught Europe ma lesson. They realized that there is much that is needed to ensure that their resources are safe.
Genghis leadership of the Mongol community has been highlighted as a brutal one, which was associated with murder and torture. This reveals how much loyalty he had to his newfound identity. What he was fighting for was free trade, which the European nation had resisted for long. The European community had the self-sufficiency attitude where they thought they did not need to carry out trade with other regions (Lococo, 54). However, after forceful penetration, they realize that there was a lot they were missing out in terms of obtaining knowledge add resources from other nations. The technology that was brought in by the Chinese and Indian traders contributes a lot to their domestic industries. This also brought in the aspect of paper money, which became the medium of exchange. The European community realized that there is a lot they can learn from other societies, which they had ignored.
After reading Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World one is left with the desire to learn more about the Mongol community. The attitudes they were held against them but Europe, which though all it needed to resist any foreign rule and how they were disapproved makes the reader want to be in the actual time. It is also fascinating to know that a European native could be so attracted to a culture that was despised and even adopted to it. We can only imagine the real reaction of the community and how Khan reacted to the pressure, they imposed on him. It is encouraging to know that a person can be courageous enough to choose a very different direction contrary to what the community follows and succeed in it. It would have been looked at as a form of disloyalty but when looked at basing on the positive, we realize that the sacrifice was worth making. It is also considered that after the collapse of the Mongol empire, trade links between Europe and other nations was adversely affected.
Works cited
Lococo, Paul. Genghis Khan. London: Potomac Books, Inc., 2008.
Weatherford, Jack. Genghis Khan And The Making Of The Modern World. New York: Crown,
2005.
