Uses and abuses of history

At a time when the study of history—not just that conducted by professional historians—is becoming increasingly popular and relevant in public debate, award-winning Canadian historian Margaret MacMillan shows us how its use can prove a double-edged sword. In the 1980s, the past seemed much simpler than it does today. The Cold War was, among other things, a pause between two rival philosophies of history that served to keep the world on track. Then, with the fall of the Berlin Wall, a cooling-off came. Ominously, dimly remembered narratives, long-forgotten identities, and venerable hatreds emerged. One region after another discovered that its people, as Churchill once said of the Balkan tribes, had more history than they could consume. In this brilliant essay, the result of a series of lectures the author conducted at the University of Western Ontario, MacMillan examines the values and dangers of history, and how it affects our lives. While extremely useful when used properly, aiming to understand how we think and react, history as a way of understanding the world is susceptible to manipulation and distortion to serve different purposes. Nationalists tell false or one-sided stories about the past, while dictators omit those that threaten their claims to omniscience and authority. Political leaders rally their audiences by telling them bravado: Hitler lied about Germany's defeat in World War I and about the role of the Jews. Drawing lessons from the past can also become problematic—as they offer interpretations that can serve many purposes. Margaret MacMillan worries that the historical profession is turning inward, abandoning the big questions at a time when there is an urgency to increase our knowledge of the past, and proves that history can become a dangerous weapon depending on who wields it. *USES AND ABUSES OF HISTORY* is a vital and powerful argument for the importance of history and historians.