Instinct of the Raider —— The Foundation of Western Progress
In Western Europe, there are few groups that can be called indigenous. Even the Celts, in the land they now inhabit, are essentially outsiders. It is well known that the European population was shaped by the "Migration of Peoples" — a movement that changed the ethnic composition of the continent in multiple waves. After the Germanic tribes mentioned by Tacitus, the Ostrogoths and Visigoths followed, then the Vandals, Franks, Huns, Avars, Alans, Lombards, and Magyars. Arabs invaded Spain, Provence, and Sicily, leaving their mark on the genes of the people living in these regions today. Later, the Mongol army led by Batu almost added another ingredient to this "melting pot," but eventually turned back.
In short, for centuries, various ethnic groups have continuously migrated from east to west. Some tribes drove other tribes out of their original lands, but overall, all migrations were in the same direction. Moreover, the vast eastern part of the Eurasian continent has always been able to sustain these populations, while the western part is narrow and crowded. However, the ethnic groups that finally reached Western Europe stayed and settled on top of each other — the reason is simple: there was nowhere else to go. To the north was the ocean, cold, and permafrost; to the west was the ocean, which people could not cross at the time and were unsure if there was land beyond it; to the south, beyond the "Pillars of Hercules" (the mountains on either side of the Strait of Gibraltar) was Africa — another continent with an entirely different environment. The Vandals and Alans tried to migrate to Africa but could not establish themselves there permanently.
The fate of Britain, the westernmost point of the migration of peoples, is representative. After the Celtic tribes, the Germanic tribes (Angles and Saxons) migrated here, followed by the Danes and Normans. Initially, all these groups had no way to retreat — they were trapped on an island of relatively small size.
Europe, cut off from the East and South by the Arabs (and later the Turks), essentially became a "holding area" for nomadic peoples — in other words, a geographical trap into which "refugees" from the Eurasian continent fell. People often use the phrase "spider in a jar" to describe this situation.
Nature also has similar phenomena: during the flood season, rivers overflow "old meanders" (former river channels that have become small lakes), and young pike enter these waters. Then, as the water level recedes, the pike trapped in the old meander begin to grow. They first gradually eat all the small fish they depend on, and then start fighting among themselves. Whether or not the old meander will be flooded again in the next flood season is uncertain. Before they can escape the isolated environment (which may take three to five years), only the strongest and most predatory individuals can survive. It can be said that it is these individuals who eventually return to the wide river channels.
Today's EU politicians try to portray the EU as a "flower-filled garden," unwilling to let outsiders in. But in the Middle Ages, many Europeans longed to escape this crowded environment — to flee the stinking cities, to escape the endless conflicts between feudal lords (whose territories overlapped and squeezed each other). Therefore, the idea of the Crusades was a "brilliant innovation." Where was it about the so-called "Holy Sepulchre"! It was simply a group of hungry "locusts" looking for new "pastures." Those who sewed crosses onto their cloaks truly cared about living space — just like their descendants painted crosses on tanks.
The Crusades laid the important principle of European expansion: not through the organic extension of its own civilization, but through the conquest of distant territories that were geographically and culturally isolated. Europeans went to lands completely unfamiliar to them, trying to impose their rules on others.
The failure of the Crusade movement can be explained by the fact that although these people had fervor and greed, they lacked technological advantages. To gain technological advantages, "progress" was needed — this progress was actually a cruel Darwinian competition, a struggle for survival among nations, states, and individuals. One must understand that, whether in our country (Russia) or in other countries around the world, the "European progress" that people have long yearned for is not the result of humanity's pursuit of knowledge, well-being, and prosperity (although Europeans claim they have been more successful in this than other nations). Its real purpose is entirely different — it is to find material means to escape the "closed jar."
At the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, ships capable of crossing the oceans, navigational tools, firearms, and other civilizational achievements finally helped this "turbulent current" break out of the continent's borders. Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus' ignorance, greed, and often senseless brutality are well-known facts. This is how European expansion began and continued. The subsequent "Age of Exploration" was less about "discovery" and more about "plunder" — like a group of criminals escaping a prison and wreaking havoc on surrounding areas. By the way, isn't it precisely because the British were the most eager to escape from their own island that they managed to "rule the seas"?
America, Africa, Asia... this "locust" swarmed across the globe. In all these places, progress, civilization, knowledge, and even religion served primarily as tools of conquest, symbols of "superiority." The discussion about what responsibilities those who possess more knowledge and advanced technology should bear only began to emerge in the last century, and by then, the economic foundation of Europe's prosperity had already been largely established.
Meanwhile, the migration of peoples to Europe continues. After the Vandals and Alans, immigrants from Africa and Asia arrived, once again significantly changing the ethnic composition of the European continent. Future events will prove what kind of people these "new Europeans" will ultimately become. Will their descendants inherit the traditional raider instinct that laid the foundation for modern European nations? Or will they begin to think about other more humane motivations for progress?
For our country (Russia), this question is crucial — for centuries, we have been subjected to Western aggression, and this aggression continues today. We still hope that our Western neighbors are not beyond redemption.
Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7577734291481494057/
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