Does History Matter?

[hemybel]

Who says yes and who says no?

[JKP]

Is this a trick question?

[which doctor]

Yes, for a variety of reasons.
One of them being the fact that we should learn from our mistakes. One of them being, Leninism. It just isn't practical for a long term, ideal communist society.

[bolshevik butcher]

What do you mean by leninism? I mean I consider myself to be a number of things, including a leninist in many respects. The bolsehvik model is in many ways still applicable.

Now, yes history does matter, it is vital that we learn form msitakes that revolutioaries made in the past. All revolutionaries amde msitakes, none were perfect.

[Comrada J]

History is good, we can learn to repeat it.

[Roses in the Hospital]

Yes, of course it matters. To understand the present and the future we need to understand the past...

[Atlas Swallowed]

Yes, to learn from past mistakes and besides it makes interesting reading.

[Lamanov]

History gives us that 4th dimension we need so badly to understand the world that surrounds us - time.

Anything we observe in 3D - needs the time element to show us its essence.

Marx & Engels stated in German Ideology that they “recognize only one science – the science of history.”

As we become conscious of our history, history become conscious of itself and it shows us how it actually moves, and how we move it. In its undistorted essence, the proletarian revolution will be the most glorious acceptance and confirmation of history and its irreversible movement.

[which doctor]

Originally posted by Komrad J+Jan 25 2006, 05:59 AM--> (Komrad J @ Jan 25 2006, 05:59 AM) History is good, we can learn to repeat it. [/b]
Repeat what, the failures of the past?


Clenched Fist
What do you mean by leninism? I mean I consider myself to be a number of things, including a leninist in many respects. The bolsehvik model is in many ways still applicable.
Do you mean the Leninism that failed Russia? Do you mean the vanguard which would 'provoke the revolution'. The so called, 'democratic elections.' Representation by these 'elite' members of the communist party? Truly not the will of the people.

Leninism may be applicable in the third-world where it would serve to modernize and 'jumstart' the the country into the first world.

[Comrada J]

Originally posted by Fist of Blood
Repeat what, the failures of the past?
If that's what your looking to do... ;)

[loveme4whoiam]

As I quoted on my University application form, "Within history we can find fine things to copy, and bad, hateful thigns which must be avoided" (Livy, although tere's alot of paraphrasing there).

History is important because the events of the past shape and define the present and the future. If we are to change the world around us we must first understand how it is we ended up in such a damned awful mess, what decisions in history were made whihc influence thinking now.

What would have happened if William Howe had been a half-decent general? Possibly, the USA would not exist today. What if Trotsky had gained control of the USSR after Lenin instead of Stalin? I'm not even going to speculate on that one...

History guides our thinking and our actions, whether we are aware of it or not. The study of history is important so that we may understand how it influences us, understand the mistakes and decisions that led us to this point, and can maybe avoid repeating the mistakes and changing the world for the better.

And, as Atlas Swallowed says, it makes damned good reading. Hmm, I should get the Uni application guys to read that :P

[Red Powers]

History's most important insight is that it teaches us that society was not always how it is. Society changes and therefore we can look forward to a world without capitalism. One hundred and fifty years ago, chattel slavery was thought by many to be perfectly "normal" and it was perfectly legal. Now? Hopefully wage slavery will also end up in "the dustbin of history."

[LstrzMnyn]

That such a question would be posted is disturbing.

History is why you ARE, why your family settled where it did and under what circumstances. It is what brought youto the conclusions youhave made about governments,society, and your fellow man.
History is that indispensible reality that bites at you from 5, 10,50, and 100 years behind the present, and RIGHT NOW these words, these questions will bite another 5, 10, 50, and 100 years from now.

When you ask if history matters, you ask if YOU matter.

You DO matter, of course, and so what it is you are asking? Is it relevant? Is it functional? Is it the blanket of deceit the mainstream throws over you or the hardcore FACTS that can be found by the earnest and inquisitive student?

Of course it matters. To what extent in anyones life depends on what questions they are asking about their own existence today.

[Janus]

Of course history matters. Those who don't stufy it are only doomed to repeat it. History has given us events to compare with and guide us in our choices.

[bolshevik butcher]

Originally posted by Fist of Blood+Jan 25 2006, 11:50 PM--> (Fist of Blood @ Jan 25 2006, 11:50 PM)
Originally posted by Komrad [email protected] 25 2006, 05:59 AM
History is good, we can learn to repeat it.
Repeat what, the failures of the past?


Clenched Fist
What do you mean by leninism? I mean I consider myself to be a number of things, including a leninist in many respects. The bolsehvik model is in many ways still applicable.
Do you mean the Leninism that failed Russia? Do you mean the vanguard which would 'provoke the revolution'. The so called, 'democratic elections.' Representation by these 'elite' members of the communist party? Truly not the will of the people.

Leninism may be applicable in the third-world where it would serve to modernize and 'jumstart' the the country into the first world. [/b]
To behonest I'm not interested in getting into a fight over the past. I mean the theory of a vanguard, yes, well I believe in a revolutionary party if that's what you mean. How else are we to organize? We need to spread the message.

On the USSR, it wasnt ideal, I agree. All power to the soviets is my belief, wether it was carried out in practise or not is i agree debatable.

[hemybel]

Originally posted by [email protected] 25 2006, 03:45 AM
Is this a trick question?
HAHAHA no it's not a trick question. For me saying that History does not matters is like saying that Logic doesn't matters. Why? Because everything is a slave of causality. What is the cause of the present? You can't judge anything without finding its history.

[Rockfan]

Yes it does matter, as some blond scandinavian women once said, "the history book on the shelf, is always repeating it's self". Well I hope not but we'll see.

[Zingu]

Marxist theory is based on history! Of course history is important, it is what makes change possible!

Supplementing what DJ-TC said:

"Men make their own history, but they do not make just as they please, they do not make it by circumstances chosen by themselves, but under circumstances directly found, given, and transmitted from the past."
-Karl Marx