World History New Horizons

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History is the record of socioeconomic, politico-religious acts and decisions. It is concerned with the decisions and acts which arise out of men's need to make the least wasteful and most authentic or, as we say, the most scientific use of their ideas, political skill and historical resources. To some, history consists essentially in seeing the past through the eyes of the present and in the light of events and their problems. The main work of the historian is not to record, but to evaluate the day-to-day events in their historical perspective. It is rightly said that the past which a historian studies is not a dead past, but a past which in some sense is still living in the present. One can view the past, and achieve his understanding of the past, only through the eyes of the present. The predicament of the historian is a reflection of the nature-of man, events, facts, situations and circumstances. The relation of man to his environment is the relation of the historian to his theme of history. The historian and the facts of history are related to one another. The historian without the description of facts is rootless and futile. So also, the facts without their historian are meaningless. Hence in EH. Carr's view, history is a continuous process of interaction between the historian and his facts, an unending dialogue between the present and the past.

This book by our young and brilliant scholar, Dr. Jagdish P Sharma represents an important stage in the process of writing and reshaping the world history to enable it to meet the challenges of the historical future. The analysis and varied observations. Presented in this book make a valuable contribution to the understanding of world. History. He has taken pains and devoted considerable time to piece together the important materials to write this book which would be helpful for, not only the students of world history but also for the general readers including the aspirants of civil services It is a scholarly work.

This book was conceived at a time when a series of changes were taking place around the world starting since the Intifadah, Le non-violent liberation struggle of the oppressed Arab-Palestinian people to the changes in Russia. To passionate observers, whose duty or interest it was to make a close study of upheavals in global atmosphere, the existence. Of a connection between different historical happenings had been apparent for a number of centuries. The great Reformation movement preceded by the Renaissance spirit along with the great geographical discoverers of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries created or revived a sense of individual liberty. This helped to promote the growth of national consciousness, knowledge and awakening spirit. This in turn led to revolution in socio-politico economic, scientific, cultural, religious and diplomatic sphere.

The inspiration for writing this book has come from the sacrifices made by great reformers, revolutionaries and nationalists in the different stages of international history. The intention of this book is to develop to its logical conclusion a particular interaction between the different forces and happenings in history since the medieval times. It provides a useful overview of global history since the inception of Islam, Christianity, Renaissance, Reformation to the historical changes in inter-world war period and Post-world war scenario.

I felt there is a need for a comprehensive and analytic elaboration of historical developments. This book is an attempt to simplify the same so that the student of world history can find his/her way around the subject without getting lost in the details. Though the book should be considered as a whole, individual chapters are Nevertheless self-contained. I have been greatly inspired in the study which led to this book by those who contributed to my historical bent of mind. I should like particularly to thank Prof. Amba Prasad (Delhi University), Dr. Attar Chand (Delhi University), Prof. Hiralal Gupta (Sagar University), Prof. Ram Rahul Sheel (Jawaharlal Nehru University), Prof. KR. Singh (JNU), His Excellency Dr. Khalid el-Sheikh, Ambassador of the State. of Palestine to India, Mr. Giridhari Gomango, Minister of State for Food Processing, Government of India, Prof. HC Verma (DU) Prof. A. Subbian (Annamalai University), Dr. M.L. Bhatia (DU), Prof. RL Shukla (DU), Prof. DN. Jha (DU), Prof. B.P. Sahu (DU), Prof. A.H.H. Abidi (JNU), Prof. Muhammad Sadiq (JNU), Dr. Mohsin Usmani (JNU), Dr. Gulsan Dvetl (JNU), Dr. Ginjesh Pant (JNU), Prof. Aparna Basu (DU), Dr. Suhas Chakravarty (DU), Dr. Mehmood Hussain (JNU), Dr. Dharmpal (DU), Prof. K.S. Behera (Utkal University), Dr. B.M. Das (Berhampur University), Prof. S.R. Sharma (Gwalior University), Dr. K.L Tuteja (Kurukshetra University), Prof. Prasanna K. Mohanty (JNU), Dr. Harjinder Singh (DU), Mrs. Suraksha Kaushik (N.C. Jindal Public School), Mrs. Subhra Dey (DU) Dr. K.B. Panda (DU), Mr. Sujit K. Mohanty, Mr. RS. Sabat, Mr. Mukul Kumar, Mr. Sanjay Pathak, Mr. SN. Pattnaik and Miss Renu Uppal.

The staff of the Library of the Indian Council of World Affairs, particularly Mr. Shyami Singh and the Institute of Defence Studies and Strategic Analyses, the staff of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, and Mr. B.R. Ajmani, have been cordial with me in spite of their day-to-day difficulties. I am also thankful to several authors and scholars from whose books and articles I have heavily drawn opinions and interpretations to analyse and clarify my point of view on major issues involved in my studies.

**Contents and Sample Pages**