Rethinking Law and Institutions. Europe and Asia in the modern era

This article reconsiders how the Montesquieuan myth of "Oriental despotism" has influenced until today Western approaches to the study of Asian forms of political power. Discussing recent literature on Asian Empires, the author suggests that an emancipation from that myth is necessary, in order to achieve not only a history "on equal terms", but also a better understanding of both the European and Asian political institutions.