On the Importance of History: Is There a Need to Study History?

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The Oxford online dictionary (2008) defines history as “the study of past events”. A pertinent question that could be asked is that is there a need to study history? To answer that question and four other important queries, this essay imagines invoking the Great Oracle of Babylon. The queries and the answers of the Oracle are contained in the succeeding paragraphs.

The first query asked was whether history can serve to build human identity? The answer was a resounding ‘yes’. The knowledge accumulated over a shared past gives rise to a set of common beliefs, culture and religious ethos. As Hegel, (1837) states:

“ History is always of great importance for a people; since by means of that it becomes conscious of the path of development taken by its own Spirit, which expresses itself in laws, manners, customs and deeds”(p.181). These are just the ingredients that help build a national identity. It is through history that people identify themselves as German, French and American to name a few. Historical ties built through shared religious beliefs are yet another means for developing identities. In certain cases, it leads to development of pan-national identities. The historical perspective woven with myths and legends produce a rich social and cultural context. All these ingredients build together a sense of ‘belongingness’ amongst the community. Nations that have scant historical background strive to create myths and legends to achieve a national identity. A prime example is Australia, where the myth “that the true ‘Australian Identity’ was to be found in the bush” (MC Coll, 2004, p.20), was used to develop a unique national identity.

The second query asked was does history repeat itself? The Oracle clarified that the conundrum, of the nature of history, whether it is cyclic or linear, depends upon the perceptions of the theorists and their following. For example, Hegel believed that history was directional and was based on the ‘struggle for recognition’. Marx held that history is linear and all facets of history can be explained through dialectical materialism. Cohen (2004) argues that history does repeat itself. He bases his argument on the fact that “Most people throughout history have lived under imperial rule. The current international system, with nearly two hundred independent states and not a single confessed empire, is a historical anomaly” (p.1). Turkey is often cited as an example of history repeating itself. The Great Ottoman Empire was the largest Muslim empire with overtly Muslim culture, religious and social ethos, which spearheaded the spread of Islam over the Middle East. In the aftermath of the First World War, and the dissolution of the Turkish Empire, its leader, Kemal Ataturk strove to establish a modern Turkey built on secular western traditions. These secular traditions have now come under threat from the governing AKP party with its conservative Islamic leanings with one of their agendas being “to lift the ban on wearing headscarves”(Taspinar, 2007, p.126).

To the third query whether history is objective, the Oracle’s answer was ambiguous, stating that historical perspectives are often colored by the biases of the recorder and thus writing a truly objective history may be difficult. Selective reading of history and partial understanding of its dynamics created one of the most virulent forms of racist philosophy which was put into practice with vengeance by the Third Reich in Germany. The theory of German Aryan race being the most pure breed of humans was created out of Germanic myths, historical beliefs and a misreading of the nihilistic philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche by the Nazi leaders. Political leaders in power try and unleash revisionist history of their lands to suit their larger political purposes.

The fourth query related to the validity of history as a teacher. To this query, the oracle had an affirmative answer. History does teach the human society valuable lessons. Leaders, strategists and thinkers down the ages have assiduously studied the histories of their adversaries to learn about their strengths, weaknesses and prepare counter-strategies for defeating or deterring the adversary. The past is linked to the present and the future, is a thought, very succinctly put by Nehru,(1946) ” The past becomes something that leads up to the present, the moment of action, the future something that flows from it; and all three are inextricably linked”(p.9). History teaches ethics and with that comes the human interpretation of ethical behavior. “Ethical beliefs, throughout recorded history have had two very different sources, one political, and the other concerned with personal religious and moral convictions”( Russell, 1954, p.28). Thus, it follows that historical lessons serve as a background on which leaders base their convictions, ideas and policies to implement on a national or a global scale.

The fifth query pertained to the existential problem of history. Was it possible that the human society is witnessing an ‘End of History’ as confidently claimed by Francis Fukuyama and that the Western Liberal Democratic model was the ultimate form of human governance? To this last and final question, the Oracle gave an emphatic ‘no’. History, as the Oracle explained, is created by human dynamics, which are never static, and are always changing with time, circumstances and exercise of human imagination. Imagination produces ideas, ideas are used to create concepts, and concepts lead to formulation of doctrines and strategies. Strategies then are implemented, giving rise to a new set of changed circumstances. Therefore, as long as humans remain in existent, so shall history, its relevance, validity and applicability for the foreseeable future.

References

Cohen, Eliot A. (2004). Empire’s New Clothes. Web.

Hegel, G.W.F. (1837). The Philosophy of History. Batcoche Books. 2008. Web.

History. (2008). In Oxford Online Dictionary. Web.

Mc Coll, Lisa Marie. (2004). The influence of Bush Identity on Attitudes to Mental Health in a Queensland Community. 2008. Web.

Nehru, Jawaharlal. (1946). The Discovery of India. New York: Penguin Books.

Russell, Bertrand, (1956). Human Society in Ethics and Politics. Cornwall, Great Britain: T.J. Press (Padstow) Ltd.

Taspinar, Omer. (2007). The Old Turk’s Revolt. Foreign Affairs. Vol. 86 No.6. 114-130.

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