HOW DID THE WEST BECOME MODERN? Follow Richard Lachmann’s book ONLY. Protestant Reformation and the elites (priests, warriors, merchants, royals) scramble for their life and properties. Military revolution — increased taxation — centralized national states. Next, from revolutions (Dutch, English, American, French) to national citizenship and democracies. Capital and state power. Colonialism and world division of labor. Summarize what made the West modern and why only after 15470-Moos.
How (or by what unintended processes) did the West grow such formidable states? (Hint What was the role of elites in this? In what sense did the Protestant Reformation matter?) — How did the military revolution affect taxation, and how did the people like both war and taxes? Why did a few European kings (Charles I of England in 1648, Louis XW of France in 1792) lose their heads? — How did the rest of Western population acquire citizenship? In other words, what forced the old absolutist monarchies to evolve into the modern nationalist and democratic forms? — What was the causal relationship between citizen welfare and mass warfare of the early twentieth century? (A hint recall the boy scouts and German toy trains.)

 

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Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.

God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

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The Transformation of the West into Modern Societies

In Richard Lachmann’s book, “How Did the West Become Modern?” a detailed account is provided on how the Western world underwent significant transformations, leading to the emergence of modern societies. The journey towards modernity can be traced back to the period following 1540, where several key developments reshaped the socio-political landscape of Europe.

Thesis Statement

The transition of the West into modernity was catalyzed by a series of events including the Protestant Reformation, the consolidation of state power, military revolutions, and the establishment of colonial empires. The role of elites, the impact of warfare on taxation, and the evolution towards national citizenship and democracies were pivotal factors in shaping modern Western societies.

The Role of Elites and the Protestant Reformation

The Protestant Reformation, initiated by Martin Luther in 1517, played a crucial role in challenging the authority of the Catholic Church and disrupting the existing power structures. Elites, including priests, warriors, merchants, and royals, scrambled to protect their interests and properties amidst the religious upheaval. This period of turmoil led to a reconfiguration of power dynamics within European societies.

Military Revolution and State Building

The military revolution in Europe brought about significant changes in warfare tactics and technology, which in turn influenced the need for increased taxation to fund military endeavors. Centralized national states emerged as a result of this process, as rulers sought to consolidate their power and resources to support their military ambitions.

Evolution towards National Citizenship and Democracies

Revolutionary movements in countries such as the Netherlands, England, America, and France paved the way for the establishment of modern nation-states based on principles of citizenship and democracy. The overthrow of absolutist monarchies reflected a shift towards more inclusive forms of governance that recognized the rights and participation of the broader population.

Citizen Welfare and Mass Warfare

The early twentieth century witnessed a correlation between citizen welfare and mass warfare, as demonstrated by the militarization of society and the impact of conflicts on civilian populations. The emergence of mass mobilization through organizations like the Boy Scouts and the glorification of war through cultural symbols like German toy trains highlighted the complex interplay between warfare and societal well-being.

In conclusion, the journey of the West towards modernity was marked by profound socio-political transformations driven by religious, economic, and technological changes. The legacy of these historical processes continues to shape contemporary Western societies, underscoring the enduring relevance of understanding the roots of modernity.

 

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