Issue48【CRUCADE小组】第三次作业 by Dreamcasaer

dreamcasaerUID：2300942

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." （541）

outline：
观点，注重伟人的研究，适度的研究无名氏。
1，直接对重大事情有贡献的伟人应该研究啊
2，间接对重大事情有贡献的伟人，即领导他人取得成就的伟人应该研究啊
3，但是不能忽视其他非伟人，因为对它们的研究可以更好的观察历史
4，但是！对这些人的研究往往毫无效率，所以重点仍放在伟人身上，对这些人研究要较少的重视。


           I am fully convinced that historians should place much emphasis on famous individuals, because it is them who have made significant impact on changing and developing the history, and the other groups of people just the assistant. However, this is not to say that I argue that the study of history can ignore the effect of other groups of people, for the reason that the history does not solely consist of well-known individuals, and with the study of unfamous masses, we can observe a more comprehensive history.

           To begin with, I disagree with the speaker that it is forgettable people but not famous few who made possible the significant events in history. If we cast a look back at the scientific history, it is possible to identify that almost all the big progress of the science attributed to the famous few. For instance, using the telescope, Galileo’s observed and discovered the sunspots, mountains and valleys on the Moon, the four largest satellites of Jupiter, and the phases of Venus, which contribute greatly to the improvement of astronomy. Newton, established the well-known Newtonian mechanics laws upon which the classical mechanics can develop. They all made a considerable contribution in science, and therefore, the great men who contribute directly to the significant event should be studied on history research.

          Besides, in some certain regions, the famous one does not directly make the influential events. Their role is to lead others to achieve success, particularly in politics. For instance, in WWII, it is Winston Churchill’s strong leadership and superb speech skill that inspires the numerous soldiers and leads the English to success. Although it is not leader but the soldiers who battle in the war field, without the leader’s correct leadership and inspirit, they cannot triumph in war. Therefore, the great men who play a leadership role in the history should also be placed much emphasis.

          However, with the study of groups of people not involved in famous individuals, people may obtain a more comprehensive history. For instance, if historians want to know the presentation of feeling of a society, merely study of the elite is not enough, and it is obvious that the study of the masses is needed. There is a persuasive example to support this point of view. It is said that in the early 1950’s, historians who studied the preindustrial Europe, in order to know the people’s thought and feeling, investigated the non-elite masses and consequently achieved their purpose. Therefore, at this angle, the inquiry of the masses has its merits.

          Nonetheless, the study about the non-elite masses would be very difficult, for the reason that there are little extant records about them. If place too much emphasize on them, the efficiency of the history study would be very low. In contrary, the materials about the famous people are very ample. Accordingly, study about the key individuals would be more time saving and practical, thus the study of them should be the mainstream of study on history, and the study of others should be paid less attention.

          All in all, study of history should place much emphasis on the key individuals, but the research of other people should not be ignored absolutely. Although this study may be hard, it is true that adequately study of them would bring us a more comprehensive history.

[ 本帖最后由 dreamcasaer 于 2007-2-24 13:20 编辑 ]