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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."
1, 重大历史事件中少数重要人物的作用很重要，大众的力量虽然也是不可或缺的，但如果没有领导者或者伟人的领导或者inspiring将无法发挥有效的作用。
2，对于名人的emphasis是正确的，且可以使我们获益。名人有更多资料记载可以研究，他们的言行具有代表性且能够反映当时社会的复杂状况。
3，让步。承认大众的参与是必要的，没有他们，就没有了社会events和trends的主体。

结论，两者都对历史事件有重要贡献，且发挥互补的作用。然而历史研究的一部分重点在个人上更符合实际，更能让我们从看清历史的全貌。

I agree that significant events and trends in history cannot be made merely by heroes or leaders alone without support from the masses. However, I think the contribution of famous individuals should not be ignored as well. Because of some individuals' incisive opinions and excellent leadership, large amount of people can be organized in order; their power can really exert strong effects to make significant changes possible. In that, I think the attention on individuals in the study of history is reasonable.

To begin with, significant social changes need participation of both large groups of average people and a few individuals gifted with incisive thinking and great leadership. I admit that it is wills and power of the majority of people that are decisive for any social events and trends. But I also believe that without good organization and leadership, the masses cannot exert the same profound influence. When looking into significant events and trends in history, we can easily find a few individuals contribute so much to social changes that they not only obtained support from his or her people, but also are recognized and remembered long after they passed away. Contributions of Abraham Lincoln to the Civil War, Roosevelt to the economical impression, Winston Churchill to Britain suffering in World War Two, are too vital to be overruled. Impact of Da Vinci's paintings to Renaissance, Isaac Newton classical mechanics theories to physics and James Watt's invention of steam engine to Industrial Revolution are too inspiring to be replaced. They point out clear directions for people to unify together and fight for their goals. In that, I hold an opinion that the contribution of the famous few to the significant social changes should not be ignored or even denied, and they deserve much attention in study of history.

As to the current situation in the study of history, I do not think the emphasis placed on individuals is too much. As a matter of fact, the study about historical famous individuals is rational and can benefit our society in several levels. Records of individuals, who played significant roles in historical events or trends, usually can reflect complexity of their time or be representative enough to let historians to research what happened at that time effectively. Secondly, since they were in important position, their deeds and thoughts have much more chance to be recorded, which offer historians more opportunities to conduct thorough research. Although dairy of a solider in war can tell us situation in the field and reflect what most ordinary people have to suffer, they cannot inform us the nature of the war and conflicts between nations as much as documents and biographies concerning the presidents of the nations that involved in the war can do. Through Aristotle, we understand the thoughts of ancient Greeks; through Confucian, we know ideas and philosophy of ancient Chinese; through George Washington, we see a clear picture of people who fight for independence in America. It is those famous few who provide us insight into events and trends in the history. Therefore, study on historical individuals helps us to find the truth in history.

Although I keep emphasizing the importance of studying on famous individuals, I do not mean that historians should ignore the people whose identities have long been forgotten or underestimate their values to social changes in history. Without action of such people, no matter how smart the leaders were, how gifted the artists and scientists, revolutions could not have been made, science and technology would not have been improved, and arts could lose appreciation and support. Moreover, research on ordinary people in history can help us find the nature of human being, understand what we really care and want since long time ago and offer us chance to predict what we might do in future.

To sum up, I hold a opinion that significant events and trends in history were made by both famous individuals and ordinary people, who played different but complementary roles. Though both of them are worth to study, emphasis on individuals is necessary and reasonable because records of them are more detailed, thoughts and deeds of them can provide us clearer picture from overall perspectives.

[ 本帖最后由 wwltl 于 2007-3-4 10:13 编辑 ]