REVIEW: HISTORIOGRAPHY
I. DEFINITION: the formal and conscious writing of
history
II. CONCEPTS OF HISTORY
A.
Progress: Mankind has developed from humble beginnings in
ancient
times to higher levels in the present and will continue to advance
(political and economic)
B. Retrogression: Mankind
began in a perfect state and has gone
backwards (ethical and moral)
C.
Cyclic: Man is what he has always been. There is an
eternal
recurrence of all human aspirations and activities. Civilizations
have a beginning, a period of maturity, and an end.
1. Oswald
Spengler (early 20th. cent.; German): civilizations,
like organisms,
go through birth, development, and death)
2. Arnold Toynbee
(mid-20th.cent.; British): discusses cyclic
theory in a 12-volume work A
Study of History.
III. HISTORICAL ANALYSIS
A.
Teleological: A "Divine Will" guides history and directs
human
destinies according to a Cosmic Plan. (17th. cent.; Calvinism
-
William Bradford, John Winthrop)
B. Enlightenment:
Reason guides man down the path of progress. (18th.c)
C. Great Man
Theory: Human events are determined by outstanding men,
individuals
who mold the behavior of the masses (Carlyle, 19th. cent.
Scottish historian;
Romanticism)
D. Laws and Forces Theory: Impersonal forces
of nature determine
history. Man simply responds to these forces.
E.
Economic Determinism: Trends in human history depend upon
methods
of economic production. All other institutions are molded by
the
demands of economics. (Karl Marx, 19th. cent.)
F.
Progressivism: Civilization seen in terms of conflict, for
example,
farmer vs. merchant, debtor vs. creditor, labor vs. business, etc.
Progress was inevitable. Periods of active reform were followed by
periods of conservative consolidation.(late 19th., early 20th.
cent.)
1. Frederick Jackson Turner: Thesis that the most
influential
factor in the shaping of the American character was the
frontier
2. Charles Beard: An Economic Interpretation of
the
Constitution of the United States (1913). He concluded the
framers were motivated by economic self-interest.
3. Vernon
Parrington: Leader of the Progressive historians.
Main Currents in
American Thought (1927-30). Negative
interpretation of the
Puritans.
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G. Consensus Historians: Class and sectional differences
de-emphasized in favor of views of national unity. (post-WWII; Daniel
Boorstin, Richard Hofstadter)
H. Revisionists:
Diversion from the standard interpretation of an
historical events and
presentation of an entirely new interpretation.
IV. OTHER NOTED
HISTORIANS
A. Bruce Catton: Centennial History of the
Civil War
B. Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.: Age of Jackson,
Age of Roosevelt,
A Thousand Days: John F. Kennedy in the White
House
C. Henry Steele Commager: Documents in American
History
REVIEW: ECONOMIC
THEORIES
I. MERCANTILISM: (early 1500's to 1700's) Government should
regulate
economic activities for its own benefit and to establish
a
favorable balance of trade.
II. LAISSEZ-FAIRE: First
proposed by French physiocrats, this economic
theory advocated bo government
interference in the economy
III. CLASSICAL ECONOMICS:
Adam Smith is the "father" of this concept.
He published Wealth of
Nations (1776). Advocated
free competition and free trade. The role
of
government was to assure effective competition.
A. David
Ricardo: Iron Law of Wages
B. Thomas Malthus: As population
increases, food production can not
keep up, therefore starvation is
inevitable.
IV. MARXISM: Government should control the
means of production (until the
withering away of the state)
V.
KEYNESIAN ECONOMICS: John Maynard Keynes (British; 1930's)
suggested
gov't could end depression by increasing spending.
VI.
MONETARISTS: (1960's-70's) Urged that the money supply be
increased
at a constant rate to stabilize prices and promote economic
growth. American Milton Friedman was the spokesman for
this
concept.