Quotation of the Week 7

“History repeats itself. Historians repeat each other.”

Philip Guedalla, Supers and Supermen, 1920.

Economic historian and numismatic consultant

2 Comments

  1. Both elements of this quotation are sadly true, yet inevitable. History repeating itself, however, may provide opportunities for new solutions. And I like to think that historians repeating each other, as long as they are honest about it and add somthing of themselves, is all part of a debate aimed at understanding ourselves and the world a little better.

  2. Whether or not History repeats itself will never be answered. I personally think it does, but I admit that it will take a superior intellect than mine to find where an old circle closes and a new one opens. Anyway, Thucydides probably believed that History repeats itself, and therefore so do I.

    As for scholars repeating each other, I thought only students could be found guilty of plagiarizing! But then again, pretty much everything there is to be said, has already been said, so…

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