Political Interest wrote:Often Western values are defined as individualism, free market capitalism and liberal democracy.
Who defined these values as the "Western values"? Firstly, how is the West defined and secondly do these values represent all of the West or only a small section of it?
Many European societies were not democratic, did not respect the individual and had autocratic forms of governance. France before the revolution is one example. Even Germany did not have a necessarily liberal political tradition.
Only in the Anglosphere can it be said that individualism, free market capitalism and liberal democracy were the most important values.
Why do we call define Western values in such a narrow way?
Well you have set up your own straw man and then you have proceeded to beat him into the ground.
Let me go to bat for your straw man then.
J.M. Roberts the noted late British author in his book "History Of The World" credits the Protestant Reformation as spawning "western values" of (1) work ethic, (2) direct communion with God, (3) individual industry and productivity, etc.
Ok so now your straw man has some legs, at least.
Then from the evolution of the various war lords of history, absent a very brief lull among the democratic city-states of ancient Greece where democracy first flourished, there evolved warlord kings and emperors of Europe and Asia. Africa remained remote and isolated because of its vast deserts, jungles, and limited river systems. Meso-America remained in the stone age but for gold and silver.
The benevolence of the English and French crowns for its nobility gave rise to thinking men whose philosophies challenged the notion of the divine right of kings or even the rights to kings at all.
Emigration from the feudal structure of Europe led to the population of North America by Protestants seeking an escape from the economic and social slavery imposed by the royalty and their impious land hoarding nobility.
In America, inklings of freedom not experienced since the days of the ancient Greeks fostered there again.
Rebellion among first the American English and later the European French brought on liberty. The other nations eventually followed in suit, most notable Germany after the defeats of the Kaiser and the Fuhrer, Italy is still tenuous, and Spain has morphed into a democratic monarchy.
Asia today except in Japan and Korea where the USA has imposed democracy is still enslaved by communist tyranny. Asia is Eastern. It has Buddhism and Confucianism to thank.
Europe and America are Western. They have the Protestant Reformation to thank.
Now your straw man is cloaked in a suit of armor made of iron.
Care to attack him again?