An often-quoted statement about the enduring importance of history comes from the celebrated Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana. He said that “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” In this context, it is always sad to hear that the study of history is neglected in our schools.
There is a great deal of evidence, much of it anecdotal, that Australians are ignorant of historical developments that have shaped the world in which they live. In the absence of historical curiosity, people do not know, nor do they understand, their own history and the roots of Western civilisation on which their destiny is built.
In such a case, it is no wonder that people are amenable to implementing plausible but vacuous strategies and policies to solve society’s ills.
Although Santayana’s dictum is one of academia’s most cited and paraphrased statements that explains perfectly why responsible citizens should study history, it is not the only attentive comment on the role of history.
There is no doubt that the historical past is replete with warning signs, which help to explain or even predict current world events. For example, the history of Nazi Germany might inform political leaders of the dangers associated with a country’s expansionist tendencies and the accompanying horrors. Specifically, a consideration of the expansionist ambitions of Nazi Germany facilitates an understanding of the present Ukraine crisis, which is also driven, at least in part, by a desire to expand the sphere of Russian influence.
During her visit, von der Leyen also pledged that the EU would offer Ukraine a speedier start to becoming a full member of the Union. She handed Zelenskyy a questionnaire, completion of which will start the process of applying for membership. She said: “It will not, as usual, be a matter of years” to form an opinion on EU membership, “but I think a matter of weeks.”
For several reasons, this pledge is an irresponsible foray into international relations. First, it is precisely Ukraine’s rapprochement to the West to become a member of the EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), that precipitated the deadly conflict with Russia. Thus, von der Leyen, in flagging the incorporation of Ukraine into Western alliances, may well have advocated an expansionist policy, which is seen as a threat to the sphere of Russian influence.
Second, the pledge is cruelly misleading because it is unfeasible to accelerate the process of a country’s membership application. There are many hurdles to overcome, and in any event, the 27 members of the EU will need to approve Ukraine’s application in accordance with their own constitutional provisions.
Third, the pledge proves that EU bureaucrats have learned little from history. Historically, empires grow until they are bloated and eventually collapse, especially if their ambitions clash with rival empires. This is the lesson learnt from the empire built by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC, and the Western Roman Empire—already weakened in the third century by pandemic diseases—that collapsed in 476 AD. This was followed by the collapse of the Byzantine Empire when Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Empire on May 29, 1453. The Ottoman Empire itself lasted until the end of the First World War.
The European Union is a modern-day example of an empire that, because of its centralising tendencies, bureaucratic zeal, and expansionist tendencies, will inevitably nurture internal instability and experience external threats, thereby destabilising its existence. If so, the “decay” that von der Leyen talks about would not be limited to Russia but could, at least potentially, affect the EU itself.
History also tells us that conquests often provoke mass migration. In the case of Ukraine, the stream of refugees fleeing persecution, war, bombs, occupation, and deprivation, is reminiscent of the fact that, throughout history, people have left their own country to build a better life free from discrimination, persecution, and destitution.
But history is also replete with stories about refugees who were often cruelly disappointed when they arrived at their intended destinations, which sometimes failed to offer an appropriate level of comfort or protection. As such, the present stream of refugees from Ukraine is a powerful reminder that George Santayana’s admonition that history repeats itself is true.
Humanity thus needs to learn from the mistakes made in the past. It needs to resist and question unhealthy developments if similar patterns, like those experienced in the past, are emerging.
Santayana’s timeless dictum encourages people to study history to understand the world around them. It should also stimulate schools into taking the teaching of history seriously.
