Resumo

MANSILLA, H. C. F. Western history as a model: Basic problems from a third world perspective . Revista de Ciencias Sociales [online]. 2010, vol.16, n.2, pp.357-369. ISSN 1315-9518.

Effective development in the Third World and daily practices in it induce us to reconsider the debate between “classical” evolution theories and contemporary relativism, which denies the possibility of comparing civilizatory models and historic periods. Max Weber analysed the exceptional character of western modernity, whose global success was largely and widely recognized as such until recently. Third World societies adopt numerous orientation values from western civilization, and therefore, the western paradigm continues preserving its normative function. Considering the great evolutional goals of contemporary history, the final result is a strong yearning for autonomy and a critique of the western model, but an equally vigorous tendency toward imitating that paradigm.

Palavras-chave : Autonomy; imitation; Islamic world; historic paradigm; relativism; Third World; Max Weber.