I read this book based on this recommendation video. It’s tiny but got to the point.
- History can’t be a science, it can be only an art by establishing a meaningful order in the chaos of materials, a philosophy by seeking perspective and enlightenment.
History is affected by many elements:
- Geology /Geography: This was initially critical for creating civilization ( Egypt-Nile, Tigris/Euphrates-Mesopotamia, etc) But its influence diminishes as technology grows (Singapore, Israel, etc)
- Biology: We are subject to the processes and trials of evolution. Life is competition. Life is selection.We are all born unfree and unequal. We are subjects to our DNA, psychology and tribe. Nature loves differences as the necessary ingredient for selection and evolution. Inequality grows with the complexity of civilization, and to keep that under control, liberty must be sacrificed (Russia 1917). Life must breed, shrinking population are conquered by the growing ones (Religion pushed for having families…) But if we grow too much, nature will give us pestilence, famine and war.
- Race: Civilization is a co-operative product that nearly all people have contributed, it is our common heritage and debt.
- Character: Evolution during recorded time has been more social than biological. The imitative majority follows the innovating minority. History in the large is the conflict of minorities. New ideas should be heard, but need proper scrutiny to flourish, as the “roots” will always feed a try.
- Morals: Moral codes differ because they adjust themselves to historical and environmental conditions: hunting, agriculture and industry. The written history is usually quite different from the history usually lived. Perhaps discipline will be restored in our civilization through the military training required by the challenges of war. The freedom of the part varies with the security of the whole.
- Religion: It was fear that first made the Gods. Catholicism survives because consoles and brightens the lives of the poor. Religion has many lives (types) and a habit of resurrection (remove one, another will take its place). Moral disorder may generate a religious revival. Religion has helped the states to keep the social order. And, as long as there is poverty, there will be gods.
- Economics: For Karl Marx, History is economics in action. One of the secrets of bankers is to figure out the fluctuations of prices, they know history is inflationary, and that money is the last thing a wise man will hoard. The concentration of wealth is a natural result of the concentration of ability and regularly recurs in history. And is periodically alleviated by violent or peaceable redistribution (systole/diastole)
- Socialism: This is part of the last point about the rhythm of concentration/dispersion of wealth. The fear of capitalism has compelled socialism to widen freedom, and the fear of socialism has compelled capitalism to increase equality.
- Government: The first condition of freedom is its limitation. Plato’s political evolution: monarchy, aristocracy, democracy and dictatorship. Democracy is the most difficult of all forms of government, but has produced the best results. If our economy of freedom fails to distribute wealth as ably as it has created, the road to dictatorship is up to grabs.
- War: It is one of the constants of history. Peace is an unstable equilibrium, which can be preserved only by acknowledged supremacy or equal power. A world order will not come by a gentlemen’s agreement. States will unity in basic co-operation only when they are in common attacked by outsiders.
- Growth and Decay: History is a cycle of civilizations. They decline due to the failure of its political and intellectual leaders to meet the challenges of change. Most civilizations pass on part of their culture to the next ones (Greece->Rome->Western World)
- Progress in science and technology has brought some evil (nuclear energy, ultracommunication, processed food,etc) With great power comes great responsibility.
History is above all the creation and recording of heritage (passing culture)