Issue48 球拍~使劲拍，我不怕

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ISSUE 48
The study of history places too much emphasis on individuals. The most significant events and trends in history were made possible not by the famous few, but by groups of people whose identities have long been forgotten.


No one can deny the contributions of groups of people for promoting the most significant events and trends in history. Without them, human beings can not progress in human lives and science. The truth is the study of history have never ignored their contributions in the process of development. However, historians focus more on individuals is necessary.

Admittedly, groups of people have played a substantial role in the process of advancement. The most important events just as American Revolution, World War , and the most significant trends like the Renaissance, Industrial Revolution, depended on the activities of not only the famous few but also the masses. For instance, independence of America depended on the people who fought for the civil liberty; victory of World War II attributed to the people who stood against Fascism; the advancement of the Renaissance relied on the people who admired humanity; the progress of Industrial Revolution leaned on the people who desired for development. As a matter of fact, history has never forgotten the contributions of these people, and has expressed ample pictures of the masses’ action.

However, when the events and trends come to our mind, we always think about the famous few as George Washington, Franklin Roosevelt, Shakespeare and James Watt. And we may ask why they are more impressive than the masses. Is it because the study of history places too much emphasis on the famous few? The truth is historians have emphasized the power of masses too. One reason is the individuals who were to be famous as a result of they had made the contributions which can not be made by anyone else. We can cite many examples such as Washington played a significant role in the revolution and formation of US, Roosevelt made New Deal during the Great Depression, Shakespeare wrote many fabulous poems and plays which can’t be exceeded even nowadays, Watt invented the steam engine which promoted industry to a new ear. Because of their particular qualities of determination, courage, long-term-vision, ability of imagination and creation, they deserved to be focus more than masses in the study of history.

In addition, the masses brought their power into these events and trends by the guidance of the famous few, and the famous few encouraged the masses to active. Every battle needs commands, every trends needs new thoughts and new creations. Who did make those commands or thoughts? Of course the answer is the famous few. Actually, the commands and thoughts gave the masses guidance for action. Moreover, the famous few persuaded the masses to active and encouraged them to pursue the goals. We could remember Winston Churchill quoted “Never, never give up” at the World War II; Martin Luther King Jr. said “I have a dream” in promoting the adoption of Civil Rights Act. Therefore, focusing on the individuals’ action, thoughts and creations, we can get a better knowledge about how the events and trends started and developed.

Furthermore, the study of history needs a lot of records to build a real and accurate picture of past as far as possible, and gets knowledge based on this hypothesis. Common sense tells us, the records of the famous few are ample while the records of the masses are few. For instance, in a war, we can get the deeds and achievements of the leaders and heroes easily. On contrast, it seems impossible for us to get even names of all the soldiers. In light of this, the historians focus more on the individuals which are famous rather than the masses.

In sum, the study of history has never overlooked the contributions and power of groups of people. Nevertheless, historians place more emphasis on the famous few because they made the achievements higher than the masses, study of them helps us to understand the events and trends better. Besides, the records of the masses are such fewer than the famous few, which restrict us to study in depth.