The SEC of History
Circumstances provide the great people of history with means and positions to be great. I agree with the theory that social, economic, and cultural circumstances are what move history. To put it more simply it should be said that history is moved by the social, economic, and cultural situations but the great leaders and philosophers make history. But to say that a single individual can actually move it, as in shape it to be what it is, is nothing more than arrogance. Granted, the more well known individuals of history have provided substantial contributions, whether by military, political or intellectual prowess. However, they, in and of themselves, could not move history, their contributions were a result of their current situation and/or environment. Someone would have to ask, is there a great man born every generation that can keep a culture or society alive, therefore, moving history along? Or, is it that the cultures and societies survive despite the lack of great leaders and philosophers?
The ability of a single person to move the events of a society is not possible. When an individual attempts to force change, as we can see in ancient Egypt when Amenhotep attempted to introduce the idea of monotheism, it can have disastrous effects. In the example given, too much emphasis was given to the religious change that everyday political affairs were neglected. The result was the loss of Syria and Palestine and the general discontent of the people. The Egyptian culture and society was so strong that one man could not change it, to do so would have required a major social, economic, and cultural disaster or breakdown. This is just one example of why the great man theory is not valid. Amenhotep made history. But he did not move it. We can again see this in the movie “The Sorceress” where a priest attempted to override the long standing traditions of a village. He attempted to do this via logic from the church’s perspective and out right force. Neither of these worked and the people of the village, specifically the women kept on with their practices and traditions in secret. In the end, a compromise was arranged and the traditions of old took on a new face but were still the same.
In the Western Sudan the thing that moved history in that region was its economic wealth. It was rich in gold and salt. Its history was maintained by oral traditions; therefore, there was no room for a great man. Given that stories are generally about individual persons some might mistake this for following the great man theory, but it lacks the ability to go beyond a few generations. Unless there is a great leader born in every generation or two so that at least one is alive at any given time to keep the culture and history moving, it is culture and society that keeps history moving.
In China, we have the contributions of a major philosopher, Confucius, which helped to establish a long lasting culture and society. Again we have something that might be a subscription to the great man theory. However, during the time of Confucius, China was in state of chaos. This state of chaos gave the ideas of Confucius an appeal that allowed them to take hold. If it were not for the times and conditions it would be highly improbable that these ideas would have taken hold. Those ideas represented a form of stability. Because of this state of affairs the ideas of one man helped to shape a society. But if the situation was of an amiable one it is doubtful that Confucius’ ideas would have even been though of, so, again, not the man but the situation, the social, economic, and cultural conditions, moved history. Confucius, just one man, made it into the annals of history because of his profound statements. He did not make into these annals because he moved; just that he had a major contribution.
Throughout all of history we can see several great leaders, such as Charlemagne, Caesar, Aristotle, Plato, Alexander the Great, and several more great people that it could almost be argued for the great man theory. But in all cases these great men were only in the right place at the right time. Usually the circumstances were of a chaotic nature or some state of disarray; thus, allowing these individuals to step up and take a stance to change things. If the situations were even slightly different it still remains a possibility that they could still be great but improbable that they would have made the same impacts or have even been the same person. For the theory of the great man to work there would have to be a great man born every generation or two to keep a culture or a society alive and history moving. Therefore, it is social, economic and cultural influences that continue to move history and assist the great people in making history. The making of history comes from the contributions an entity makes to the movement of history. An individual might have an opportunity to change the course of history but that individual can not move it by themselves, therefore we have the SEC of history, that regulatory agency of historical transactions.
The ability of a single person to move the events of a society is not possible. When an individual attempts to force change, as we can see in ancient Egypt when Amenhotep attempted to introduce the idea of monotheism, it can have disastrous effects. In the example given, too much emphasis was given to the religious change that everyday political affairs were neglected. The result was the loss of Syria and Palestine and the general discontent of the people. The Egyptian culture and society was so strong that one man could not change it, to do so would have required a major social, economic, and cultural disaster or breakdown. This is just one example of why the great man theory is not valid. Amenhotep made history. But he did not move it. We can again see this in the movie “The Sorceress” where a priest attempted to override the long standing traditions of a village. He attempted to do this via logic from the church’s perspective and out right force. Neither of these worked and the people of the village, specifically the women kept on with their practices and traditions in secret. In the end, a compromise was arranged and the traditions of old took on a new face but were still the same.
In the Western Sudan the thing that moved history in that region was its economic wealth. It was rich in gold and salt. Its history was maintained by oral traditions; therefore, there was no room for a great man. Given that stories are generally about individual persons some might mistake this for following the great man theory, but it lacks the ability to go beyond a few generations. Unless there is a great leader born in every generation or two so that at least one is alive at any given time to keep the culture and history moving, it is culture and society that keeps history moving.
In China, we have the contributions of a major philosopher, Confucius, which helped to establish a long lasting culture and society. Again we have something that might be a subscription to the great man theory. However, during the time of Confucius, China was in state of chaos. This state of chaos gave the ideas of Confucius an appeal that allowed them to take hold. If it were not for the times and conditions it would be highly improbable that these ideas would have taken hold. Those ideas represented a form of stability. Because of this state of affairs the ideas of one man helped to shape a society. But if the situation was of an amiable one it is doubtful that Confucius’ ideas would have even been though of, so, again, not the man but the situation, the social, economic, and cultural conditions, moved history. Confucius, just one man, made it into the annals of history because of his profound statements. He did not make into these annals because he moved; just that he had a major contribution.
Throughout all of history we can see several great leaders, such as Charlemagne, Caesar, Aristotle, Plato, Alexander the Great, and several more great people that it could almost be argued for the great man theory. But in all cases these great men were only in the right place at the right time. Usually the circumstances were of a chaotic nature or some state of disarray; thus, allowing these individuals to step up and take a stance to change things. If the situations were even slightly different it still remains a possibility that they could still be great but improbable that they would have made the same impacts or have even been the same person. For the theory of the great man to work there would have to be a great man born every generation or two to keep a culture or a society alive and history moving. Therefore, it is social, economic and cultural influences that continue to move history and assist the great people in making history. The making of history comes from the contributions an entity makes to the movement of history. An individual might have an opportunity to change the course of history but that individual can not move it by themselves, therefore we have the SEC of history, that regulatory agency of historical transactions.
posted by Luke at 2:27 AM
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