Description of ‘Civil Revolution’ in the World History Course and formalized Modern Times

Abstract

This paper investigates how ‘civil revolution’ is treated in the world history curriculum and textbooks. Status of civil revolution in the world history curriculum has been firmly held in both the material and chapter organization aspects, and the interpretation has been sticking to traditional one centered at British, American, and French revolution. Textbook treatments also have naturally followed the precedent ways. The descriptions of civil revolution are known to be too succinct and superficial, and sometimes erroneous. Moreover, usual textbooks summarize the views presented in Introductory of Western History(『西洋史槪論』) while emphasizing the positive aspects. Formalized descriptions of civil revolution in the world history curriculum and textbooks are attributed to the status of so-called orthodox theory in academia, and how importantly recognized the development process of democracy is among the topics of world history course. In particular, even ‘new world history’ discourse which raises doubt on Eurocentrism takes the historical status of civil revolution at a face value. In conclusion, we must try to transform the shape of absolutized civil revolution in the current world history course in order to overcome the Eurocentrism. However, as the objective of world history course is strongly connected to presentation of how the modern world had formed, it is quite hard to change the current status of Eurocentrism and civil revolution in the curriculum and textbooks. So we have to come up with fresh ways to replace current world history curriculum such as ‘western history as regional history’ or ‘the history of democracy as the topical history’.