“A Preface to History”

In “A Preface to History” Carl G. Gustavson uses the historical approach to study history.  He feels to effectively study history it is necessary to develop a sense of historical mindedness.  By developing this sense the history student is able to look beyond the historical event itself and begin to search for forces, patterns, causes and continuity which both lead up to the event and cause it to become a force for future events.  It is quickly discovered by the historical minded student that no one person or cause resulted in a specific historical event.  Rather the event is but one point on a continuum; each point having an effect and being effected by other points on the continuum.

            History is a continuity of events which, by its study, can enable a person or society to determine the likely outcomes of certain actions.  Gustavson, however,  makes it clear that the study of history will not give one the ability to accurately predict outcomes; only to give likely possibilities.

            History should be approached from more than just a superficial inquiry touching only the surface of an historical event.  To effectively study and understand history one must get below the surface and discover what actions, profiles and contours shaped the event.  A society is dynamic so it should be obvious to the student of history that no event just fell upon the scene.  An historical event’s birth is in reality more of an evolution caused by the dynamics and forces of a society.  Nothing about history is either dead or static.  Rather history is a product of the continuity of a society which is at the same time in perpetual change.  We often see changes as specific historical events, but it is the continuity of the society that actually leads it to a particular spot in history.  The student who is not historically minded will likely believe that an historical event is the result of a specific situation or circumstance, such as one man’s appearance on the scene, when in reality many social forces have been building up for some time; long before the actual “event” occurs.

            For the historically minded, Germany’s involvement in World War II was the result of many factors reaching even beyond the first World War.  The novice historian, on the other hand, may conclude that, if not for Adolph Hitler, Germany may never have precipitated the War.  The novice sees the surface events and mistakenly refers to them as causes.  Meanwhile, the historically minded student will see these surface events as symptoms of an ongoing trend.  He will dig below the surface in an attempt to see for example why someone like Hitler could come into power at this time and in this place.  The novice has touched on a frame of reference and stops there; while the historically minded uses the frame of reference as the beginning point of his or her study of the historical event.

            I believe this must be the approach one should take when studying history.  There can be no real understanding of events without understanding what forces led to those events.  If one reason to study history is to learn from it then the study must go to the causal factors.  We cannot say we have learned from an historical event if we only look at the surface manifestations of that event. 

We wish to learn from history so that we can hopefully prevent the mistakes of the past and re-create the circumstances that brought success.  A surface study of history will not reveal to us the factors that led to the historical event being studied and critiqued.   Since a society is dynamic no one event can be expected to make a significant or lasting impression without first going through a period of growing and being shaped by forces which have long been in motion.  However, when those things that both added to the continuity and became a part of the forces of a society are studied then it can be better determined what factors led to certain results.  A society, government, religious group, or any other social organization can then take measures to increase the possibility that unwanted results do not reoccur, or that desired results have a better chance of reoccurring.

Individually we can benefit from the application of historical mindedness to our own lives.  We each have gone through situations that have either brought joy or pain to our lives.  If we wish to prevent unwanted results to happen again we must determine what circumstances, events, forces and so forth led to the undesirable situation.  Once we think we have discovered what those forces were we can then take steps to ensure that we do not allow those circumstances to once again invade our lives.

With the same approach we can also attempt to bring back some of the more joyful situations of our lives.  We do this by asking ourselves what things happened in our lives that led to the situation that we so much enjoyed.  Who was involved?  What were the circumstances preceding the event?  What sacrifices were made in the long run in order to attain the final pleasurable situation?  When these factors, and others, are revealed we then do whatever we can to recreate those same circumstances.

Even as a child we discovered that when we did things a certain way we were more apt to be successful.  Whenever we enjoyed the events of a day we would wake up the next day with the wish to recreate everything done the day before.  It is as though there is some inbred sense that by recreating circumstances we can recreate the results.  Although we also learned that we could never quite get the same feelings, we were rewarded often enough with at least similar pleasure.  This reward is the very thing we carry with us into adulthood.  Our own lives have taught us that, although we may not be able to precisely predict outcomes, when we make the effort to recreate the circumstances we can more often than not recreate similar outcomes.

So, when we have a good day on the job, we reflect on the day and try to uncover all the circumstances that led to the success of that day.  We then go about the task of attempting to recreate the forces that led to the day of success.

Successful businesses look for trends in the marketplace that they know have, in the past, led to certain actions by the consumers.  They will usually base their marketing decisions on these trends.  This is historical mindedness.  For them history has shown that certain trends more often than not bring about certain market conditions.  Analysis of these trends are accurate often enough to make them worthwhile to pay heed to.

On an individual level it is often claimed that someone got a job because he was in the right place at the right time.  A historical minded person, however, would be apt to look at the situation and find there is more to the story than the individual’s  “luck.”  The person who got the promotion may have been the recipient of who he knew rather than what he knew, but in most employment situations it is more a matter of preparation.  Four to six years of college, followed by many years of working his way up the ladder were more likely involved.  It is likely that the new person on the job who got the promotion in favor of the veteran did so because he had been trained in the necessary skills on the job or jobs he held previous to being hired for this one.

Even on a more personal level we can better manage our lives if we apply historical mindedness to our way of living.  If I buy to the point of living above my means then it is fairly certain that someday I will end up in bankruptcy, poverty or both.  If, on the other hand, I plan ahead before making some of those major purchases, such as an automobile or a house, I will see how I can save and invest money in such a way as to make my future more financially secure.

In other words, whether in business, on the individual level, and even on the personal level, we are not where we  are today merely by chance.  Many forces, actions, and much planning brought us to this point.  And it does not end there.  All the plans we have made will affect the plans we continue to make.  Every decision we have made in the past has, to some degree, influenced the decisions we make today. 

The grades we make in high school might determine which college we go to upon graduation.  The courses we take in college goes a long way towards determining the type of vocation we end up in at the age of thirty.  The type of job we have will likely determine the amount of money we will be able to make over the years.  The amount of money we make will determine the type of house we live in, the kind of vehicles we drive, and often the social group we find ourselves attracted to.  All this, in turn, may have a large effect on the type of life our children will be able to make for themselves. 

If we can see how this works on the personal level we can begin to better apply the same principles of historical mindedness on the study of history.  What a nation does in its youth lays the groundwork for all that will happen to that nation throughout its history.  Each event in a nation’s history is not only dependent on what happened in that nation before the event, but is also a predecessor, a predictor in many cases, of what will happen in the future of that nation.  History is not dead but dynamic.  It is not simply a study of the past, but a study of those forces that form our lives, the life of a nation and the direction the world takes as we continue to go on through history.

It is very apparent then that history is not made up of an infinite list of unrelated events.  Each event, to some degree, has been influenced by a number of events preceding it, and will probably influence at least as many events long after the event itself has become a part of the past.  Added to the fact that each event influences other events is the idea that there are social forces that both promote certain events, and in effect dictate the course of some or all of history.

Probably the social force with the most overall influence is the force of economics.  As Gustavson points out, it was economic forces that led to the Age of Explorations throughout Europe, but mostly in England.  (Gustavson, p. 41)  These economic forces helped to create economic standards that are still seen today.  Today’s business corporation is fashioned after the structure of the companies formed during England’s explorations.  These companies were formed by investors who otherwise had little or nothing to do with the actual exploration, yet reaped the profits those explorations yielded.  These companies were headed by a person or persons appointed by the investors to protect and manage their investments.  Just as in today’s business corporations.

Just as in today’s stock market, these companies continued to attract investors.  Even though there were many failures, there were enough successes, and promises of economic riches, that many investors were willing to gamble on these company ventures.  As these companies experienced success and prospered, other companies were formed in the hope of also acquiring wealth.  Through these companies England, in a relatively short period of time, was able to form economic ties all around the globe.

Many of these company’s investors were very influential men in the government and economy of England.  Most were not looking for fame through these explorations.  Rather, they were looking for a return on their investment; hopefully a healthy one.  Also, these explorations were not initially concerned with conquering other nations.  Even those groups who came to America seeking religious freedoms were backed by investors seeking economic gains.

It was these economic forces that often opened the doors for religious forces to play a part in the Age of Discovery.  In some cases, where the economic forces brought hardship and even slavery to the local inhabitants, it was the religious forces that brought them a much more redeemable aspect of European culture.

As the religious forces gained momentum it was able to get into areas of the world where the economic forces had no need nor desire to go.  In many ways, therefore, religious forces brought more of European culture to these foreign lands than did the economic forces.  And, that aspect of culture went deeper into the character of these societies.

Both these forces had a direct effect on the influence of the technology force.  Europe, and in particular England, was in effect conquering much of the world through its economic and religious ventures.  In order to effectively and efficiently traverse the open seas to get to these various ports around the world it became necessary to create a vessel that could survive on the high seas for an extended period of time, yet hold enough supplies to keep the crew fed.  The result was a larger ship dependent less on manpower and more on the technology of wind and sails.

The development of superior weapons helped these nations overcome countries that had ancient forms of weapons.  It was the development of these weapons that made it possible for fewer but better equipped men to conquer a larger, but far less technologically advanced societies in these uncivilized countries.

In the meantime, the development of institutions was becoming a social force that both influenced and was influenced by other forces.  The companies that were formed during the Age of Discovery are good examples of how one force, economics, was able to reconcile itself with another force, the institution.  In this case the institution was formed so that the economic interests would be protected.  Protection of the interests of a social group was probably the primary reason for the formation of an institution.

Throughout history we can see how one social force was affected by the push and pull of other social forces.  In following the history of the Church we can see that certain steps had to be taken in order to preserve it and its message.  Just as companies were formed in England to protect economic interests, the Church was formed to protect the idea of Christianity.  The Church was also needed to fulfill its commission to tell the world about the Word of God.

It was not, however, simply a matter of creating an organization, calling it the Church, and then going forward with its mission.  In order to evangelize the world it was necessary for the Church to ensure it would always have the means whereby it could spread the Word.  As a result this endeavor became a question of economics.  Since the Church could not tax, and could not depend on the monetary donations of benefactors, it found itself acquiring land as a way to meet its needs.   This land was used to sustain the Church, both directly and indirectly, through the use and sale of its produce.

As these land holdings grew it became necessary to appoint qualified men who could manage the affairs of the Church.  Most often the most qualified were found among the noble classes of society.  One result of this was the growth of the arts, music and philosophy.

When the historian couples the growth of the institution of the Church with the economic forces taking hold during the Age of Discovery, he begins to see how these forces came together to bring European culture to many parts of the world.  A deeper study reveals that much of the influence of one of these forces could not have had such an impact on the future of our planet  without the growth and influence of the other force.  The Church’s need to evangelize the world was met by the ability to travel the globe.  While the ability to travel around the world was fostered by the economic needs of peoples and countries.

These economic needs were in response to the need of a nation and/or a monarchy to provide for the people of their particular country.  If the leaders of a nation were to be able to hold on to the loyalty of their people they needed to protect them both economically and militarily.  

One result of a meaningful study of history is to see how these various forces, which on the surface often seem to be entirely unrelated, actually often prove to be very dependent on each other.  It was the Church that helped give the monarchy its authority.  The Church promoted the idea of a king as being one appointed by God.  After all, he had the means to maintain a lawful society, and this was the kind of setting where the individual Christians were most likely to be successful in leading a Christ like life.

The monarchy, as did the Church, needed to ensure the means whereby it could maintain its power.  He needed armies to protect the nation, and competent officials to oversee the many aspects of successful government.  He too needed money in order to maintain these sections of this particular institution.  This was accomplished through taxes and the acquisition of land.  Most often this was accepted by the governed society in return for the protection of the king.  To maintain a loyal administration the king would often appoint officials from non-noble classes.  Loyalty resulted because most of these appointees owed their new found social status to the king. 

As these loyalties grew, so did the society’s sense of national feelings.  As these national feelings grew it was important for the king to continue to strengthen the nation against the forces brought on by other nations.  As nations grew and realized their own sense of nationalism there arose within them a need to ensure their self-preservation.  Self-preservation often meant economic growth, which in turn often meant the need to expand territories. 

This cycle was further expanded by the need for military might both to expand and protect from other nations desiring expansion.  As nations grew they became aware of the need to balance the growth of other nations, or block of nations, so that no one nation or group could overpower another.  Thus armies were maintained and weapons were improved. 

The historian who digs just a little deeper quickly finds that the development of the Church, the growth of nationalism, and the economic needs of each, all played a role in their respective histories.  The history of each is tied irrevocably to the others.  Further study reveals that they, in turn, are likewise tied to other social forces.  One step in history built upon another.  During the Age of Discovery each social force is part of a continuous story of the discovery and exploration of the World.  Each force plays an important role in reaching the four corners of the earth, and none could have succeeded without the other.

Gustavson is very effective in showing how history is a story of both change and continuity.  He first introduces the reader to the errors the novice historian makes as he studies history.  He points out that history is more than the memorization of facts and dates.  Although these are important they are only “reference points” the historian uses to get to the deeper aspects of history.

From here Gustavson explains how history is more than facts and dates, and how there is more to history than intermittent historical events.  All of history is dynamic.  In other words, instead of being a study of long ago facts and dead people, it is the study of events and forces that helped mold the world we live in today.  It is alive because it is an ongoing story made up of events that continue to affect our lives, and will affect the lives of those who come after us.

With this introduction Gustavson explains what he means by social forces, and how those forces work together to create both history and society.  He shows how it can be argued that no one force controls all of history.  He uses many historical events to display how economic forces, institutional forces, ideas, inventions, and so forth have each played a role in the history of mankind.  At the same time he is very adept at showing how these forces do not work independently, rather they rely on each other as they grow and have impact on society.

His book is a very quick study of history done in a very readable and therefore enjoyable way.  He is able to capture the reader’s interest by showing that history is more than a rehashing of worn out facts, and long ago dates.  By presenting history as something that is a part of our lives every day, the reader cannot help but follow along with greater interest.  Gustavson presents to the reader the concept of the historically minded person, then applies that mindedness to everyday life.  By doing so he causes the reader to associate history with what is going on in his life today.  He presents the historical discourse in such a way that the reader is able to see below the surface of an historical event.  The reader feels a part of history because he realizes the continuity that Gustavson writes about. 

In many ways “A Preface to History” is a simple book.  There are no maps, no pictures, no diagrams to embellish and make it more attractive.  There are none of these enhancements to underline and underscore his points.  But I do not believe this takes away from the importance of the book.  I believe it to be very readable and informative.  It gives a different perspective on the study of history.  One that I will benefit from each time I read about an historical event, or even an historical novel.