Comment by alephnil

Veblen uses the word "Barbarian" in a way I have not seen before. For example he mentions European and Japanese Feudal societies as "higher Barbarian cultures", and others as "Lower Barbarian". The common use of "Barbarian" I have seen are entirely derogatory, and not something that would have been used in a serious work like this. Anyone that know what its meaning is in this context?