History Derailed not only describes Berend’s argument, but also the semi-glaring, problematic perspective from which he seems to have written the monograph. Berend’s perspective is heavily influenced by a semi-fatalistic idea of the rise of nationalism and history in general. He places Western Europe’s experiences and developments during the “long century” as the pinnacle of positive changes possible. Central and Eastern Europe on the other hand, according to Berend, was striving and failing to mimic Europe’s success. The very argument that the reason for what he calls the region’s partial modernization and incomplete nationalistic development lies in its failure to follow the historical legacy of Western Europe is a very Eurocentric historical