This document discusses the concept of "Early Modernity" and attempts to define its time period and key characteristics. It notes that while Renaissance writers saw themselves as modern, historians later separated "Early Modern" from the 19th century "Modern" period. Generally, Early Modernity refers to the 15th-18th centuries in Western Europe and other regions, marked by substantial changes including state formation, economic growth, social mobility, and cultural flourishing prior to industrialization and democratization. However, applying this concept is problematic for some societies.

1. Early Modernity
What/When is “Early
Modern” anyway?

2. Periodization Problem
• Renaissance writers considered themselves modern,
created concept of medieval era to close off past.
• Modern meant "now" but industrialism and
democracy seemed to mark a new transition, a new
modern age.
• So "Modern" moved up to the 19th century, but the
earlier period was also "modern"; European
historians separated "Early Modern" from "Modern,"
separated the past from the present
• Then, other historians started trying to use the term,
especially comparitively...

3. Early Modern Defined (briefly)
• substantial period of growth and change, not
a stable state.
• State Formation and Sophistication
• Economic Growth, especially Diversification
• Social Mobility and Cultural Flourishing
• Prior to
– Industrialization
– Democratization

4. When Is Early Modern?
• Western Europe: 15th c. through 18th c.
• Ottoman Empire: 15th c. to 19th c.
• China: 11th c. through early 20th c.
• Korea: 15th c. to late 19th c.
• Japan: c. 1600 to 2nd half of 19th c.

5. State Formation
• Centralizing state authority
– weakening aristocracies
– Bureaucratic and professionalized administration
– Well-defined Law and Boundaries
• Interest in Economic Development
• Expanding State: Exploration and Imperialism
• Increasing concern with public opinion

6. Economic Development
• Rapid agricultural productivity improvement
• Substantial and growing urban economies
• Proto-industrial (aka “putting out”) production
and diversification
• Increasingly cash-based economy
• Market and finance networks of great
sophistication.
• Globalization

7. Social/Cultural Change
• Historically high rates of literacy (25% and up),
• Literacy and prosperity support flourishing
entertainment culture: drama, literature, art
• Proto-nationalism
• Physical and Social Mobility
– Urbanization
– Advancement through Education, Meritocracy

8. Historians’ Problems
• Societies with some, but not all, hallmarks of
Early Modernity: Eastern Europe
• Societies which are somewhat Early Modern,
but colonized: India, South & Central America
• Societies that never pass through Early
Modern stage at all: Africa
• Is “Early Modern” a necessary stage for
successful Modern Age? Or is this a hindsight
error? (aka, "Whiggish teleology")

9. References
• Background Photograph “East India Tea
Company Crates” taken at the Falls of Clyde in
Honolulu, Hawaii, by Jonathan Dresner
– http://www.flickr.com/photos/jondresner/
• See discussion of “Early Modern
Periodization” by Morgan Pitelka,
http://www.froginawell.net/japan/2008/02/e
arly-modern-periodization/