Issue48【0706G－CRUSADE小组】第3次作业 by yyyfff

yyyfffUID：169234

TOPIC: ISSUE48 - "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."

观点：不同意历史研究必须重点放在大众的观点，应该着重研究代表性人物。

让步式承认大众的作用。
在历史进步过程中，大众需要少量的英雄式人物做激励；
研究历史发展的因果关系，需要着重研究少部分的英雄人物。


The statement asserts that the most significant events in history were not made by famous few, but possible by group of been forgotten people; and historian place too much emphasis on these famous few. I tend to disagree with this assertion.  To begin with, learning about these famous people could inspire us much more than the groups of people. Moreover, history informs us that it is almost the key figure provide the initial spark for the development of society other than the groups of people.

Admittedly, groups of people are the linchpins during some period.  For instance,  in the period of renaissance of Europe, although the initiator are Dante, Shakespeare and Leonardo da Vinci et al, the other people's support and response play a more pivotal role in the development process of society. Without their help, the renaissance cannot be developed in such a short time. Another example is the most famous architecture in India, Taj Mahhal, which is the monarch build for his favorite wife. However, this building is not built by the monarch but by several thousand of people.

However, the contribution of groups of people cannot overshadow the key figures, who inspired and incited masses. Only under the inspiration of these key individuals, can the masses organized together, and achieve the greatness. For example, in the World War II, groups of people take part in each battle, and they build up the solid base for the victory of this war. Nevertheless, more importantly, it is the eminent leadership by Eisenhower and Parton et al, and the incitation made by them.  Another example is the war of waterloo, after several time change of General, when Duke Wellington take the position of General, the British army began to win this war.

Moreover, for the history research, the cause-and-effect relationship will obstacle by the focus on the masses. Every historian would agree that only when we focus on several key individuals, could we find out the real impetus for the development of the society, otherwise we would be obstructed by the tiring work. For instance, as we research about the history development in the 20 century in China, we cannot focus on the masses. It would be unrealistic and exhausting to research all groups of people. Therefore, the historians only need to concentrate on several key figures, like Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping et al. Only in this way, can the historian found out the authentic cause-and-effect relationship in the history.

To sum up, although the masses play important role in the history, we also need to play more emphasis on the key individuals, because of the irreplaceable leadership and incitation, and because of the reality of research, and because of the limited time and resource of the historian.