The Silk Roads: A New History of the World

A summary of the book written by Peter Frankopan (2015) - Article #10

I. Why this book, and what’s it about?

The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan is a profound reorientation of historical perspective. Frankopan shifts the focus from a traditional Eurocentric view of history to the Silk Roads, the network of trade routes that linked the East and West. This approach offers a more inclusive and interconnected understanding of world history, emphasizing the critical role of Asia and the Middle East in global developments.

By doing so, Frankopan challenges readers to reconsider long-held assumptions about the forces that shaped our world. He illustrates how these regions, often sidelined in mainstream historical narratives, were central to developing global commerce, culture, religion, and politics. This recentering provides a more nuanced and comprehensive view of history, highlighting the interconnectedness of various civilizations and the impact of the Silk Roads on major historical events.

Reading "The Silk Roads" broadens one's understanding of history and provides valuable insights into the present and future global landscape. It demonstrates how past interactions along these routes have shaped current geopolitical, economic, and cultural dynamics, making it a highly relevant and enlightening read for anyone interested in understanding the complex fabric of our globalized world.

II. Who is the author?

According to Wikipedia, Peter Frankopan is a British historian, writer, and hotelier. He is a professor of global history at Worcester College, Oxford, and the Director of the Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research. He is a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society. He is best known for his 2015 book The Silk Roads.

III. How popular is the book?

Here are the book’s rankings on Amazon:

IV. What is one of the top takeaways from the book?

The Centrality of the Silk Roads in Global History:

Frankopan argues that the Silk Roads, the trade routes connecting Asia with Europe, were the true centers of global power and culture for centuries. Unlike traditional Western-centric historical narratives, he emphasizes how these routes facilitated significant cultural, economic, and political exchanges. The Silk Roads were not just conduits for luxury goods like silk and spices but also ideas, religions, languages, and technologies. This theme challenges the reader to rethink the Eurocentric narrative and recognize the historical significance of Asia and the Middle East in shaping the modern world.

V. What is another top takeaway from the book?

The Impact of Commerce and Trade:

The book highlights how commerce and trade along the Silk Roads influenced the rise and fall of empires and shaped global history. Frankopan illustrates how the desire to control these lucrative trade routes led to significant geopolitical and military strategies throughout history. The wealth generated through trade brought about essential developments in urbanization, culture, and technology, impacting societies far beyond the immediate regions of the Silk Roads. This theme underscores the power of economics in shaping historical events and global connections.

VI. What is the third top takeaway from the book?

Spread of Religion and Culture:

Another crucial theme in Frankopan's book is the spread of religions and cultures along the Silk Roads. These routes facilitated the exchange of religious ideas and practices, contributing to the spread of major world religions like Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. Frankopan also discusses how cultural practices, artistic styles, and even diseases traveled along these routes, profoundly influencing the regions they touched. This theme demonstrates the Silk Roads' role as a dynamic space for cultural and religious interactions, shaping the diverse cultural landscapes of Eurasia.

VII. What is the fourth top takeaway from the book?

Power Shifts and Geopolitical Dynamics:

Frankopan provides a detailed analysis of the shifts in power dynamics throughout history, influenced by the Silk Roads. He discusses the rise of the Mongol Empire, the impact of European colonialism, and nations’ strategic interests in controlling these trade routes. The book also delves into the 20th and 21st centuries, examining how oil discoveries and geopolitical interests in the Middle East and Central Asia have reinvigorated the importance of the Silk Roads. This theme emphasizes the ever-changing nature of power and influence in global history.

VIII. What is the fifth top takeaway from the book?

Relevance in Contemporary Times:

Frankopan connects the historical significance of the Silk Roads with contemporary global issues. He discusses how the legacy of these routes is still visible today in the political, economic, and cultural landscapes of the regions they connected. The book also explores how modern conflicts and alliances in the Middle East and Asia can be traced back to the historical dynamics of the Silk Roads. This theme highlights the enduring relevance of the Silk Roads in understanding current global affairs, emphasizing the interconnectedness of our world.

IX: What does The X Project Guy have to say?

The subtitle “A New History of the World” is perfectly appropriate as it covers the history of a world never known to me previously and never covered in my education. Thus, it was new, different, and exciting for me, primarily because the book is well written, easy to read, difficult to put down, and emphasized that economics is a primary driver of history.

In my comments (section X) in The X Project’s Article #8, published this past Saturday, I mentioned that history is not explicitly listed as one of the ten topics that The X Project covers. However, the history of these topics is foundational to The X Project, and this book turns out to be a history of trade, commerce, and geopolitics within the context of a growing and evolving global economy.

X. Why should you care?

One of the values of history is it provides an understanding of where we came from and how we got here, which can help in understanding where we are going and how we will get there. One of the central themes of The X Project is that where we are going (over the next several decades) is likely to be very different from where we came (over the past several decades).

With that in mind, there are three primary reasons come to mind as to why you should care about The Silk Roads":

1. Unipolar to multipolar globalization:

Since the breakup of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the United States has been the uncontested, dominant, global super-power leading a unipolar world. That unipolarity has been weakening recently as geopolitical tensions have risen due to Russia’s growing aggressiveness since 2008 (see the article summarizing the book Flashpoints), China’s friendly relationship with Russia, and China’s growing economic power and global influence. There is much to discuss with China within the intersection of The X Project’s focus, and several books on the list yet to be summarized will address this growing trend towards multipolarity.

For now, and related to The Silk Roads, a significant factor in the weakening global unipolarity of the United States is the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Also known as the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, it is a global development strategy adopted by the Chinese government involving infrastructure development and investments in countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas. It was unveiled in 2013 by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The BRI consists of two main components: the land-based "Silk Road Economic Belt" and the oceangoing "21st Century Maritime Silk Road." The initiative aims to enhance regional connectivity and embrace a brighter future by building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road. It is one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects ever conceived, encompassing an extensive network of railways, roads, pipelines, and maritime routes.

2. Peak in Globalization:

Globalization has generally been increasing since the end of World War II and pretty steadily since 1986 up until the Great Financial Crisis (GFC) in 2008. Here is a chart of the “trade openness index,” which is defined as the sum of world exports and imports divided by world GDP:

3. Deglobalization?

What if geopolitical tensions lead to greater protectionism? What if they lead to more and more significant wars?

The X Project has summarized five influential books in previous articles, all published in 2015 or before. Four of them have been remarkably prescient concerning our current geopolitical tensions, protectionism, and/or the deglobalization we have experienced in recent years, and these four all suggest an increased if not high, likelihood for more significant wars in the future: The Fourth Turning, The Next 100 Years, The Accidental Superpower, and Flashpoints.

What do wars and protectionism look like regarding exports and imports as a percent of GDP?

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