| Concept | Eurocentrism |
| Contrast | The global hegemony of the United States and the Anglosphere in our timeline, with European powers retaining more diverse and fragmented centers of influence. |
| Definition | The continued centrality of European cultures, institutions, and perspectives in shaping global affairs and knowledge, stemming from the delayed consolidation of modern nation-states and the persistence of traditional European hierarchies and rivalries. |
In this alternate timeline, the term "Eurocentrism" takes on a somewhat different meaning compared to the common usage in our reality. Without the dominant global influence of the United States and the wider Anglosphere, European cultures, institutions, and perspectives have remained more central in shaping the course of world affairs, the production of knowledge, and the framing of dominant discourses.
However, this "Eurocentrism" is less defined by the hegemony of a few specific European powers, such as the United Kingdom or France, and instead reflects the continued political, linguistic, and cultural divides between the diverse civilizations that make up the European continent. The fragmentation and rivalries between different European nations, regions, and traditions remain a defining feature of this timeline's global order.
One key factor contributing to this persistent Eurocentrism is the delayed consolidation of modern nation-states in this alternate history. Rather than the centralization of power and the emergence of large, dominant nation-states that occurred in our timeline, political authority in this world has remained more localized and dispersed for a much longer period.
For centuries, Europe was characterized by a patchwork of relatively small kingdoms, duchies, principalities, and city-states, each with their own distinct political and legal traditions. The monopolization of power by a few nation-state superpowers happened much more gradually, allowing a diverse range of European cultures, languages, and institutions to maintain their influence on the global stage.
The development of major political ideologies like democracy, liberalism, and socialism/communism also followed markedly different trajectories in this timeline, with European thinkers and movements often taking precedence over their counterparts from other regions.
For instance, the first democratic experiments emerged not in the Anglosphere, but in Italian city-states like Florence and Venice, where merchant classes sought to limit the power of hereditary nobility. These early republican governments had important differences from the later democratic models that became dominant in our world.
Likewise, Marxism and related socialist/communist movements often blended European traditions with local priorities, leading to a greater diversity of left-wing ideologies compared to the Eurocentric nature of these movements in our timeline.
The continued relevance of traditional European institutions and hierarchies, such as monarchy, aristocracy, and organized religion, has also contributed to the enduring Eurocentrism of this alternate reality.
Without the upheavals and revolutions that reshaped Europe in our history, the social and political dominance of the nobility, the clergy, and other entrenched powers has remained more entrenched. This has sustained the influence of these classically "European" forms of authority and worldviews on a global scale.
Moreover, the absence of a hegemonic power like the United States has allowed the historic rivalries and conflicts between European nations to persist unabated. The colonial ambitions and imperialist wars that defined much of European history continue to shape international relations in this timeline, reinforcing the centrality of European perspectives.
This Eurocentrism is also reflected in the continued dominance of European languages, cultural frameworks, and institutional structures in academia, the arts, and media production worldwide. The intellectual and creative output of Europe remains a primary reference point, even as other regions contribute to an increasingly diverse global culture.
The legacy of European colonialism, with its exportation of language, religion, and educational systems, endures as a powerful force shaping the production and dissemination of knowledge globally. This has allowed European-centric epistemologies and ontologies to remain highly influential, even as alternative worldviews emerge.
While the specific manifestations of Eurocentrism may differ from our own timeline, its pervasive nature remains a defining feature of this alternate world. The fragmented and diverse centers of European power have ensured the continued centrality of a multitude of European perspectives on the global stage.
