THE LESSONS OF HISTORY

BY WILL AND ARIEL DURANT

There is much wisdom inside this 102-page book.

5 stars out of 5 stars

Will and Ariel Durant authored “The Story of Civilization”, an eleven-volume history containing thousands of pages. The present book, “The Lessons of History”, is their attempt to answer the question “what history has to say about the nature, conduct, and prospects of man.” The book begins with an essay entitled HESITATIONS, which has the quote “Most history is guessing, and the rest is prejudice”, which is from “The Age of Faith”, Volume IV of “The Story of Civilization”. The authors ended the essay with the sentence “Only a fool would try to compress a hundred centuries into a hundred pages of hazardous conclusions.” Nevertheless, they proceeded with writing the 102 pages which constitute the book.

History is discussed, in separate chapters, in the contexts of the Earth, Biology, Race, Character, Morals, Religion, Economics, Socialism, Government, War, and Growth and Decay. The final chapter is entitled “Is Progress Real?”

To appreciate the authors’ style and many of their unique viewpoints, the book is to be read slowly, not cursorily, To illustrate, let me quote a few of the authors’ sentences below:

● From Biology and History

"The laws of biology are the fundamental lessons of history. We are subject to the processes and trials of evolution, to the struggle for existence and the survival of the fittest. So, the first biological lesson of history is that life is competition".

● From Religion and History

"As long as there is poverty there will be gods.

Does history support a belief in God? If by God we mean not the creative vitality of nature but a supreme being intelligent and benevolent, the answer must be a reluctant negative".

● From Socialism and History

"The fear of capitalism has compelled socialism to widen freedom, and the fear of socialism has compelled capitalism to increase equality."

● From Government and History

"If race or class war divides us into hostile camps, changing political argument into blind hate, one side or the other may overturn the hustings with the rule of the sword. If our economy of freedom fails to distribute wealth as ably as it has created it, the road to dictatorship will be open to any man who can persuasively promise security to all, and a martial government, under whatever charming phrases, will engulf the democratic world."

● From History and War

"War is one of the constants of history and has not diminished with civilization or democracy. In the last 3411 years of recorded history, only 268 have seen no war.

The causes of war are the same as the causes of competition among individuals: acquisitiveness, pugnacity, and pride; the desire for food, land materials, fuels mastery. The state has our instincts without our restraints.

Perhaps we are now restlessly moving toward that higher plateau of competition; we may make contact with ambitious species on other planets or stars; soon thereafter there will be interplanetary war. Then, and only then, will we of this earth be one."

● Is Progress Real?

"One of the discouraging discoveries of our disillusioning century is that science is neutral: it will kill for us as readily as it will heal and will destroy for us more readily than it can build. How inadequate now seems the proud motto of Francis Bacon, “Knowledge is power”!"

Despite many depressing lessons of history, the authors answered the question “Is Progress Real?” in the affirmative. The book ends with the thought that:

“The heritage that we can now more fully transmit is richer than ever before…. The heritage rises, and man rises in proportional as he receives it.”

In summary, there is much wisdom inside this 102- page book.

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