European miracle

English

Etymology

Coined in 1981 by Eric Jones.

Proper noun

the European miracle

1. (history, economics) The rise of Europe to geopolitical dominance during the modern period.

   As Karl Ferdinand Werner has pointed out, the 'European miracle' 'did not take place after the 'Middle Ages' or in spite of the 'Middle Ages', but because of the existence of a Christian world dominated in the West by Catholic doctrines, a world we have become accustomed to call the Middle Ages.' (Hans Albert, Between social science, religion and politics: essays in critical rationalism, 1999, p. 205, citing K. F. Werner in Baechler/Hall/Mann (eds.), 1988, p. 172.)

Synonyms

• Rise of the West
• Great Divergence