Do you believe that there are 5 definitions of history? And even more? In this article, we will consider in detail what history is, what are its features and numerous points of view on this science. People have long paid attention to the fact that the phenomena and processes of the universe occur in one sequence or another in time, and this constitutes a certain reality that can be defined.
History and Society
If we consider the concepts of "society" and "history" in their relationship, then an interesting fact catches the eye. Firstly, the concept of "history", being a synonym for the concepts of "development of society", "social process", characterizes the self-development of human society and its constituent areas. This shows that with this approach, the description of processes and phenomena is given outside the lives of the individuals participating in them. Thus, the replacement in Europe and Africa of latifundism by saline, corvee labor or Taylorism in industry by human relations can be considered as stages in the economic sphere. With such an understanding of history, it turns out that people are dominated by some kind of faceless socialstrength.
Secondly, if “society” concretizes the concept of “society”, expresses a way of social reality, then “history” concretizes “society”, its definition. History, therefore, is made up of the processes of people's lives. In other words, it describes where these processes took place, when they took place, etc.
Thirdly, if you deeply comprehend this concept, then its connection will appear not only with the past when trying to define it. History, on the one hand, really tells about the past, based on the current state of socio-cultural life. As a result, modern requirements for events that took place in the past become decisive. In other words, it turns out the following when trying to give a definition: history is explained in connection with the present, the knowledge gained about the past makes it possible to draw the necessary conclusions for the future. In this sense, this science, embracing the past, the present, and the future, connects them with the activities of people.
Understanding the course of history in a developed society
At different stages of the development of society, history was understood in different ways. In the conditions of developed societies with strong dynamism, its course is considered from the past to the present and from the present to the future. Usually the definition of history as a science is given in relation to the history of civilizations. It is believed to have started about 4,000 years ago.
Understanding history in traditional societies
In traditional,backward societies put the past ahead of the present. The desire for it as a model, an ideal is set as a goal. In such societies myths prevail. Therefore, they are called prehistoric societies without historical experience.
Two possibilities of observing history
The “trick” of history lies in the fact that its course passes as if unnoticed by people. Its movement and human progress are very difficult to observe at close range. One can usually speak of two possibilities for observing history. One of them is connected with the personality formation of the child, and the other consists in the consistent registration of specific forms of organization of the stages of social processes. In other words, history is the evolution of social forms and personalities.
At the same time, it is important to define history as a science, to establish a boundary between the history of mankind and the events that took place before man appeared. The difficulty lies in the fact that the answer to this question depends on the position of the author, his thinking, the scientific and theoretical model, and even on the directly obtained materials themselves.
Dynamism that marks history
The definition of the concept that interests us would be incomplete if we did not note that there is dynamism in history. The nature of society itself is such that its existence is always changeable. This is understandable. Reality, expressing the diverse relationships of people as material-social and practical-spiritual beings, cannot be static.
The dynamism of human history has been an object of study since ancient times. This can be seen by considering the attempts of the ancient Greeks to know the phenomena occurring in society, including their fantasies and delusions. Comparison of the simple equality of the era of hunters and gatherers with the division of people into slaves and slave owners that appeared in antiquity led to the emergence of the myth of the "golden age" in folklore. According to this myth, history moves in a circle. The definition of the concept that interests us, from this point of view, is very different from the modern one. As the reason for the movement in a circle, such arguments were given: “God decided so” or “this is the command of nature”, etc. At the same time, they touched upon the question of the meaning of history in a peculiar way.
History from the standpoint of the Christian religion
For the first time in European thought, Aurelius Augustine (354-430) gave a characterization of the past of mankind from the standpoint of the Christian religion. Based on the Bible, he divided the history of mankind into six eras. In the sixth era, Jesus Christ lived and worked, according to Aurelius Augustine (his portrait is presented below).
According to the Christian religion, firstly, history moves in a certain direction, therefore, it has an internal logic and divine meaning, which consists in a special ultimate goal. Secondly, the history of mankind is progressively moving towards progress. At the same time, God-ruled humanity reaches maturity. Thirdly, the history is unique. Although man was created by God, for his sins heby the will of the Almighty should be improved.
Historical progress
If until the 18th century the Christian point of view on history reigned supreme, then European thinkers of the beginning of the New Age preferred progress and the natural laws of history, and also recognized the subordination of the fate of all peoples to a single law of historical development. The Italian J. Vico, the French Ch. Montesquieu and J. Condorcet, the Germans I. Kant, Herder, G. Hegel and others believed that progress is expressed in the development of science, art, religion, philosophy, law, etc. All of them, ultimately, the idea of socio-historical progress was close.
K. Marx was also a proponent of linear social progress. According to his theory, progress is ultimately based on the development of the productive forces. However, in this understanding, his place of man in history is not adequately reflected. Social classes play the main role.
The definition of history should be given, also noting that by the end of the 20th century, the understanding of its course in the form of a linear movement, or rather its absolutization, proved its complete failure. Interest has reappeared in the views that existed in antiquity, in particular, in its movement in a circle. Naturally, these views were presented in a new, enriched form.
The idea of cyclical history
Philosophers of the East and West considered the course of events of history in a certain sequence, repetition and a certain rhythm. On the basis of these views, the idea of periodicity was gradually formed, i.e.e. cyclicity in the development of society. As the leading modern historian F. Braudel emphasizes, periodicity is characteristic of historical phenomena. In this case, the time from the beginning of the processes to their end is taken into account.
The frequency of changes is noted in two forms: system-identical and historical. Social changes occurring within a particular qualitative state give impetus to subsequent qualitative changes. It can be seen that due to the periodicity, the stability of the social state is ensured.
In the historical forms of periodicity, according to scientists, the stages of development of human society, in particular, its specific components, pass at a certain time, and then cease to exist. According to the type of manifestation, periodicity, depending on the system in which it unfolds, is pendulum (in a small system), circular (in a medium-sized system), wavy (in large systems), etc.
Doubts about absolute progress
Although the progressive movement of society in one form or another was recognized by many, nevertheless, already at the end of the 19th century and especially in the 20th century, doubts began to appear about the optimism of the idea of absolute progress. For the process of progress in one direction led to regression in another and thus created threats for the development of man and society.
Today, concepts such as history and the state have become an integral part of our lives. Determining them does not seem to cause any difficulties. However, as you can see,history can be viewed from several angles, and views on it have changed significantly at different times. For the first time we get acquainted with this science when we come to the 5th grade in September. History, the definitions of which are given to schoolchildren at this time, is understood somewhat simplified. In this article, we examined the concept in a deeper and more versatile way. Now you can note the features characteristic of history, give a definition. History is an interesting science, acquaintance with which many seek to continue after school.
