Timeline of Key Events and Concepts:

Ancient Greece:Concept of Continents Established: Greeks develop the initial geographical understanding of continents, dividing them based on maritime access and latitude. The 36th parallel is established based on Greece’s southern point as a major dividing line. This divides a global south, from the global north.

Anaximanderian World Map: First known demarcation of continents. Western Eurasia (future Europe) is separated from Southern Eurasia (including Africa), and Eastern Eurasia (including Anatolia). Central Eurasia is defined by a lack of maritime access.

1492-1760:First Stage of Globalization (Mercantilism): Rise of merchants and mercantilism, leading to the Age of Exploration. Overthrow of feudal structure.

1760s:Industrial Revolution Begins in Britain and Anglo America (Industrial Hearth): Marks a second major phase of globalization.

1760 - 1945:Second stage of Globalization (Industrialization): Pure industrialization and pure capitalism.

19th Century:Spread of Industrialization:From Britain to Denmark-Norway, then Sweden, the Lowlands, and Germany. From Anglo America to Meiji Japan and the Russian Empire. From Britain to France, Iberia, and Italy.

Independent Industrialization in Some Nations: Russia, Japan, and Korea, undergo transformations by abolishing feudalism, entering the capitalist world structure, and colonizing, or extracting knowledge from the west.

1830:

Greece gains independence from the Ottoman Empire and begins modernizing. 1861:Abolishment of feudalism and start of industrialization in Russia. 1868:

Abolishment of feudalism and start of industrialization in Japan.

1878: Serbia and Romania gain economic independence, leading to transition to capitalism. Bulgaria gains economic independence under Ottoman vassalage, beginning it’s transition to capitalism.

1895-1905:Korea attempts to industrialize but is delayed.

Early 20th CenturyEastern European countries continue to gradually abolish feudalism. Post WWII:Britain’s position of power transitions to Anglo America, cementing the Atlanticist World Order. Russia with the aid of China begins to contest the established Atlanticist world order. Geographic Concepts & Divisions:

36th 1/2 Parallel: The crucial dividing line separating the global south from the global north, based on the original Greek continental divisions. It also demarcates the “Archigapelic Pacific Continent” from northern regions, creating two halves of the world.

Mega Continents: The two primary landmasses are Afro-Eurasia and the Americas. Isthmuses: Used to divide mega-continents into Africa, South America, Eurasia, and North America.

Western Eurasia: Corresponds to “Western Europe” and is defined by access to the North Atlantic, and North Sea. Associated with the development of secular Greek philosophy and the modern industrial revolution, beginning from Italy, and spreading west.

Central Eurasia: A geographical region characterized by a lack of direct maritime access and being adjacent to southern territories below the 36th parallel.

Eastern Eurasia: Parallels western eurasia in having maritime access to the North Pacific. Includes Eastern Europe, Fenno-Scandia, and Bohai Manchuria.

Archigapelic Pacific Continent: A distinct continent south of the 36th parallel, composed of archipelagos like the Malay Archipelago, Oceania, and Honshu.

Belt of Modernity: A geographic concept that is a circle following the waters of the northern pacific, atlantic and north sea above the 36th parallel - originating in the angloid industrial hearth (britain and anglo america)

Cast of Characters (and Key Geographic Areas):

Anaximander: Ancient Greek philosopher credited with the initial concept of continental divisions and creating the first map. His map establishes the foundation for the 36th parallel as a continental divider.

Ancient Greeks: Collective group that established the initial concepts of continental division, the 36th parallel, and other geographical principles. The initial demarcators of regions lacking maritime freedom

Western Europe (Western Eurasia): The region that developed the concepts of ancient Greece and the renaissance and spread west, to britain, then ultimately to america, which became the “industrial hearth”. The geographic node of modernity.

Eastern Europe: A region geographically linked to Central Eurasia and defined by it’s lack of maritime freedom, yet has a different history than western europe due to not having access to western maritime power.

Central Eurasia (Anatolia, Eastern Europe): The region from which both East and West Eurasia geographically protrude from. The industrial Hearth (Britain, Anglo America): The geographical area where the angloid modernity originated, in the waters of the north sea and north atlantic sea.

Eastern Eurasia (Far East Russia, Hokkaido, Korea, etc.): A region that parallels western eurasia in its geographic positioning and access to the north pacific ocean. It is one of the two peripheries of the industrial hearth.

Meiji Japan: The nation that industrialized by abolishing feudalism, and adopting the capitalist world structure. Part of the nodes of modernity. Russian Empire: The nation that industrialized by abolishing feudalism, and adopting the capitalist world structure, which included territories north of the 36th parallel.

Honshu: The main island of Japan. Is not considered part of eastern eurasia, as it is a southern territory south of the 36th parallel, and is therefore grouped under the Archigapelic Pacific Continent.

Hokkaido: The northern island of Japan. Is considered part of Eastern Eurasia.

Korea: The nation that industrialized by abolishing feudalism, and adopting the capitalist world structure. Part of the nodes of modernity.

Ainuic Lands: Hokkaido, Sakhalin, and the Kurils - all considered part of East Eurasia (due to being north of the 36th parallel.)

The Archigapelic Pacific Continent: A continental grouping including Honshu, Austronesian Islands, and other archipelagos south of the 36th parallel. In the case of Japan, it serves as the place from where Japanese modernity is derived.

Countries of the Orthodox Christian Balkans: Greece, Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria. Countries that emerged from Ottoman rule and transitioned to capitalism, but did not participate in intercontinental colonialism, and are thus not considered part of the “west”.

Poland: A nation that developed cultural ties to the renaissance, scientific revolution, and enlightenment, but was unable to be part of the capitalist and industrialist world order due to a lack of maritime access.

Key Arguments Presented:

Geography is the Primary Determinant: The text emphasizes that geographical location dictates the development and trajectory of cultures and nations, particularly regarding access to maritime trade routes and the industrial revolution.

Modernity’s Origin: The origin of modernity can be traced to the rediscovery of ancient Greek philosophy in Italy and the renaissance, and spread west to the industrial hearth of britain and anglo america.

The 36th Parallel as a Fundamental Divide: The 36th parallel is presented as an absolute division separating the northern and southern halves of the world and influencing the ability for a region to enter into modernity.

Critique of Conventional Eurocentric Views: The text challenges the idea that cultural factors are the primary drivers of modernity and that the west originated from christianity, or was ethnically or culturally predetermined. It also contests the traditional definition of “Asia” and its geographic boundaries.

Modernity’s Spread: Modernity geographically spreads horizontally from the Anglo Industrial heart to it’s peripheries.

The “Belt of Modernity”: The geographical link of modern industrialist nations that are connected by the waters in which angloid modernity originated, in both west and east eurasia and by the land connection in russian and norway.

Let me know if you would like any of these points clarified or expanded upon.

SUMMARY Continents and their divisions

• There are two undisputed mega-continents: Afro-Eurasia and the Americas.
• These mega-continents can be divided by isthmuses into Africa, South America, Eurasia, and North America.
• A demarcation of the 36 1/2 parallel latitude can further divide the world into a global south and a global north.
• Eurasia and North America can be divided into West/Central/East Eurasia and North/Central America.
• There is a unique continent called the Archigapelic Pacific Continent, which is not part of the two mega-continents.

The Archigapelic Pacific Continent

• This continent includes the archipelagic conglomeration from the 36th parallel’s Honshu down from the first island chain, to the Austronesian islands of New Zealand and Madagascar.
• It is demarcated by the Indian Ocean, the continent of Eurasia, the Americas, and the 36 1/2 parallel.
• It is a conglomeration of archipelagos, unlike Africa which is a continental landmass.
• The Archigapelic Pacific Continent includes the Andaman and Nicobar islands, Australia, New Zealand, the Malay Archipelago, Oceania, the Ryukyu and Kyushu islands, Taiwan, the island of Jeju and Tsushima, the second island chain, micro islands of Oceania, and Honshu.
• The continent is inhabited by North Pacific archipelagic Ryukyuans and Yamato in the north and Taiwanese aborigines/Austronesians-Papuan-Australians in the south.

The 36th Parallel

• The 36 1/2 parallel serves as a dividing line between the global north and south.
• It was originally established by the Greeks, based on the southern point of Greece, to demarcate lands lacking in maritime power, communication, and freedom.
• Lands south of the 36th parallel cannot border Western and Eastern Eurasia, but Central Eurasia can.
• The line can be blurry, especially with small slivers of landmasses like Iberia and Korea that cross the parallel.
• The 36th parallel is significant because the Greek origin of the concepts of continents based it on the most southern point of Greece.
• The 36th parallel is arbitrary, but it is followed in the present day because of post-colonial globalization centered on Europe.

Western and Eastern Eurasia

• Western and Eastern Eurasia are defined by their geographic access to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
• The geographic definition of “west” is determined by whether a region is north of the 36th parallel and has direct access to the North Pacific Sea, North Atlantic Sea, or North Sea.
• These seas are horizontally parallel to Anglo America and Britannia.
• Eastern Europe, from the Adriatic to the Black Sea, is considered part of Central Eurasia as it lacks maritime freedoms.
• The Greek peninsula is part of Eastern Europe because it does not have maritime freedom.
• Countries with direct access to the northern waters above the 36th parallel have a superior position in the globalized world.

Central Eurasia

• Central Eurasia is the part of Eurasia that can border lands south of the 36th parallel.
• It is considered geographically superior to the southern continents.
• Anatolia is part of Central Eurasia because it lacks maritime freedom, and the same applies to eastern Europe, eastern Fenno Scandia, and Bohai Manchuria.

The Concept of the “West”

• The “West” is a distinct geographic region where ancient Greek philosophy, logic, and science developed after the rediscovery of the ancients during the Renaissance.
• The West is defined by the traditions of the Renaissance, science, and the Enlightenment, as well as industrialization and the capitalist world system.
• The “West” also used these advancements for intercontinental colonialism.
• The spread of the “West” began in Italy and spread to Germany, Iberia, France, and Britain, culminating in the Industrial Revolution.
• Countries that did not participate in these traditions but industrialized by extracting knowledge from the West are not fully considered “the West”.
• Countries that developed these reforms but did not fully succeed due to foreign conquest, or lack of maritime access, are also not considered the “West”.
• The “West” is also a geographic region with direct access to the North Pacific, North Sea, and North Atlantic above the 36th parallel, where industrialization spread.
• The spread of globalization occurred in two stages: the rise of merchants and mercantilism from 1492 to 1760, and industrialization from 1760 to 1945.

Japan’s Geographic Position

• Honshu is considered part of the Archigapelic Pacific Continent, and not part of East Eurasia.
• More than half of Honshu is south of the 36th parallel.
• Honshu is an island connected to the Archigapelic Pacific Continent via Kyushu, the Ryukyus, Taiwan, and the Philippines.
• Ainuic Hokkaido, Sakhalin, and the Kurils are not part of the Archigapelic Pacific Continent because they are north of the 36 1/2 latitude.
• These islands are considered part of the East Eurasian mainland.
• Japan is not part of Afro-Eurasia but belongs to the Pacific Archigapelic Continent.
• Japan, geographically, is not considered modern because it’s modernity does not come from the Angloid industrial hearth because Honshu’s southern latitude places it outside of the geographical belt of modernity.

Modernity and Industrialization

• Nations north of the 36th parallel with direct access to the North Pacific, North Atlantic, or North Sea are noted for their intercontinental colonialism during the first stage of globalization (1492-1760) or the second stage of globalization (1760-1945).
• Modernity spreads horizontally from the industrial hearth, not vertically.
• The industrial hearth is Anglo America and Britannia.
• Receivers of modernity are the lands north of the 36th parallel with direct access to the North Pacific, North Sea, and North Atlantic.
• The belt of modernity is formed by the connection of Western and Eastern Eurasia at the Russian-Norwegian border.
• When a southern country conquers a northern territory, that northern territory becomes an extension of the south and no longer receives modernity from the angloid industrial hearth.

The Case of Japan

• Japan’s modernity is derived from its own abolishment of feudalism, mercantilist colonialism, and capitalist industrialism, not from the Angloid industrial hearth.
• Hokkaido receives modernity from its connection to Anglo America, but its connections are at a dead end because it is not the main integral island of Japan.
• Because Honshu is south of the 36th parallel, it is not part of the belt of modernity.
• Honshu connects to Korea, the closest country that is part of the belt of modernity, making Korea a receiver of both Angloid and Japanese modernity.
• Japan does not receive angloid modernity due to Honshu’s southern latitude, but makes its own, separate from the geographical belt of modernity.
• Japan’s modernity is not the same as the modernity of the Angloid industrial complex, which spread to Western and Eastern Eurasia.

Eastern Europe and the Balkans

• Eastern Europe is demarcated by the Adriatic and Baltic seas.
• The Orthodox Christian southeastern portion of Eastern Europe lacks cultural ties to Western culture.
• Countries like Greece, Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria abolished feudalism and transitioned to capitalism after emerging from Ottoman rule.
• However, these countries did not fully participate in mercantilism through intercontinental colonialism, a condition required for being considered part of the “West”.

Additional Notes

• Geography divides culture, not the other way around.
• Oceans divide continents and isthmuses divide regions.
• The divisions of islands above the 36th parallel between Northern Eurasia and North America are arbitrary.
• The definition of “central Eurasia” was developed using irrational imperialist logic.
• The most common acceptance of the west is not only having a CULTURAL rooting of socio political reforms of the renaissance, scientific revolution, and enlightenment, (WHICH POLAND HAS BUT COUNTRIES LIKE RUSSIA DO NOT), but independently abolishing feudalism by transitioning a mercantilist society into a fully capitalist mode of production via industrialization, And during the transition from feudalism to proto capitalism to full capitalism participating in mercantilism through INTERCONTINENTAL, UNCONTINUOUS GEOGRAPHICALLY, MARITIME colonialism

Frequently Asked Questions about Geographic Divisions and Modernity How does the 36th parallel of latitude function in this geographical model, and why is it significant?

The 36th parallel is used as a primary division line to separate the global north and south. In this model, it’s not merely a random line but rather a demarcation point that historically was used by Europeans to distinguish their region from what they considered the ‘southern half of the world’. This line serves to divide landmasses into categories like Western, Central, and Eastern Eurasia in the north and designates the boundaries of the southern mega-continent of the Pacific Archipelagic Continent. This is based on the geographical propositions of the ancient greeks, in which lands to the south, of the 36th parallel cannot border western or eastern eurasia, but only central eurasia. Also, if we consider the 36th parallel to have any leniency, that would also shift the extent of central eurasia to the west or east, making this entire model illogical.

What is the Archigapelic Pacific Continent, and why is it considered a distinct continent separate from Afro-Eurasia and the Americas?

The Archigapelic Pacific Continent is a unique landmass consisting of a chain of islands spanning from the 36th parallel, including regions like Honshu, down to New Zealand and Madagascar. It is distinguished by its archipelagic nature, not part of the two mega continents of Afro-Eurasia and the Americas. This continent is considered separate because its island formations don’t connect to the landmasses of Afro-Eurasia or the Americas, nor are they connected to each other, thereby forming a distinct geographic grouping in the world. This area includes nations such as New Zealand, Australia, and the Malay Archipelago. Also it is defined by the 36th parallel, the indian ocean, the continent of eurasia, and the americas. Why are certain regions like the Ainuic islands (Hokkaido, Sakhalin, and Kurils) not considered part of the Archigapelic Pacific Continent, despite their island nature?

Despite being islands, the Ainuic lands—Hokkaido, Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands—are classified as part of East Eurasia, not the Archigapelic Pacific Continent. This is because they lie north of the 36th parallel, while the Archigapelic Pacific Continent lies south of this line. Their geographical position mirrors other European islands like Sicily, Sardinia, and the Balearic Islands, which are considered part of Western Eurasia due to their location north of the 36th parallel.

What are the key geographical characteristics that define Western, Central, and Eastern Eurasia, and how do they relate to the 36th parallel?

Geographically, Western and Eastern Eurasia are defined by their access to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, respectively, and by being north of the 36th parallel. Central Eurasia, on the other hand, is characterized by being a landmass that cannot access such maritime freedoms and is connected directly to the south of the 36th parallel. The key geographical characteristics are based on the ancient greeks, in which they distinguished lands by maritime access or the lack of it. Western Eurasia horizontally runs parallel to Anglo America and Britannia, while Eastern Eurasia has direct access to the North Pacific, also in parallel to Anglo America. Central eurasia does not have this access. Regions such as Anatolia, Eastern Europe, Fennoscandia, and Bohai Manchuria are categorized together due to their similiar geographical conditions of protruding away from the central Eurasian landmass, but lacking full maritime access. How is the concept of “the West” defined within this geographical and historical context, and what criteria are used to determine a nation’s inclusion?

The “West” is defined less by culture or ethnicity and more by a geographical and historical context. It encompasses nations that developed through the reforms of the Renaissance, the Scientific Revolution, and the Enlightenment, culminating in the Industrial Revolution and the capitalist mode of production. Four criteria are considered: Did it follow the reforms of the Renaissance, Science, and Enlightenment? Did it undergo its own Industrial Revolution, thus entering the capitalistic world system? Did it utilize its advancements in intercontinental colonialism? Was all this done independently by the nation?

Nations like Russia, Japan, and Korea, which industrialized by extracting knowledge from the West and did not fully meet these conditions, are not considered fully “Western”. Meanwhile, countries like Poland, which had cultural connections to the West but lacked the geographical access to thrive during the industrial revolution, are also not considered fully part of the west.

Why are some countries like Russia, Korea, and Japan considered to have a “peripheral” relationship to the West, and what distinguishes them?

Countries like Russia, Japan, and Korea have a “peripheral” relationship to the West, not because they are inferior but rather due to their unique circumstances in the context of industrialization and colonialism. While these nations adopted industrial and capitalist structures, they did so by extracting knowledge from the west rather than being directly connected to the cultural and historical events of the West (the reformation, scientific revolution, and enlightement). They industrialized later in the 19th century, they abolished feudalism and participated in capitalist world systems, and some engaged in intercontinental colonialism. What separates them from the “west” is that their modernity is derived, not of their own geographical condition, but derived from western knowledge. Russia, Japan, and Korea independently abolished feudalism, progressed to an industrialized capitalist society, and had mercantilist intercontinental colonies - however, these are all things that were extracted from the west, and so these countries are still outside of what the definition of the “west” is. The geographical definition of the west as the industrial hearth is the region in which these countries derive their modernity.

What is the concept of the “belt of modernity” and how do nations become part of this belt?

The “belt of modernity” is a geographical and historical concept referring to the regions of the world that were directly involved in the industrial revolution that began in Britain and spread geographically. Countries like Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Austria Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and eastern eurasian russia and korea, which occupy regions directly connected to the seas in which angloid industrial revolution and modernity spread, are considered a part of this belt. This belt of modernity forms through geographical access to the north pacific sea, the north atlantic sea, and the north sea. This geographical access allowed for rapid industrialization via seafaring merchant expansion, and intercontinental colonization. Nations like Japan and the orthodox christian balkans while modern, exist outside of this belt of modernity. These nations, while also modern, did not have the historical, or geographical context to have the same type of modernity as the nations within the belt. In the case of Japan’s own industrialized modernity, it does not form a connection to the belt of modernity, but rather links itself to the closest foreign country which is a part of this belt of modernity, which is korea. Thus, korea has two forms of modernity, both angloid derived and japanese derived.

How does this model address the integration and modernity of Japan, specifically concerning Honshu and Hokkaido?

Japan’s integration into this geographical and historical model is complex due to the nature of Honshu and Hokkaido. Geographically, Honshu is located south of the 36th parallel, categorizing it as part of the Archigapelic Pacific Continent. Since lands south of the 36th parallel are unable to receive modernity from the industrial angloid hearth, it does not receive modernity by this geographic standard. Hokkaido, in contrast, is located north of the 36th parallel, which by this standard would allow it to connect to the belt of modernity, however, since hokkaido’s integration into modernity is dependent on honshu, and honshu is unable to receive modernity from the angloid industrial hearth, hokkaido’s modernity is limited to it’s own borders. However, Japan, as a whole, was able to independently abolish the feudal system, progress to an industrialized capitalist society, and had mercantilist intercontinental colonies, therefore, despite these limitations, it’s still considered a modern nation, albeit with a modernity not of angloid origin, and thus its modernity is of its own creation and limited to its borders, while nations of west and east eurasia all derive their modernity from the angloid industrial hearth and the seas in which this hearth operates on. Thus, honshu’s modernity stems from its own development, connecting it to the closest nation within the belt of modernity, which is Korea. As a result, Korea has two forms of modernity: angloid and japanese…