PAST AND FUTURE, OR WHAT IS HISTORY FOR? Chapter 1 History as a Dy a!

!i" Re#atio ship to the Past Ches e$% "#ai!s that history is not a detached, disinterested intellectual pursuit& History is ot a e ' i itse#(& Rather, the prese t ee's the past )ith re(ere "e to the ($t$re& History is #i *e' to the "#ass str$++#e& It is never neutral, never above the battle& Chapter , History a ' So"ia# Pra"ti"e- I the Esta.#ish!e t Ca!p I "#ass so"ieties, history is o e o( the too#s the r$#i + "#ass $ses to !ai tai its po)er& The state apparat$s tries to "o tro# the past at the #e/e# o( .oth po#iti"a# a"tio a ' i'eo#o+y& Thro$+h !e'ia 0 e)spaper arti"#es a ' (i#!s1, thro$+h "o!!e!oratio s a ' a i/ersaries, )hi"h ha/e the (o##o)i + (eat$res i "o!!o - the o((i"ia# spo sorship o( a histori"a# "e#e.ratio , a !ass spe"ta"#e )ith pop$#ar (esti/ities, the stereotype' portraya# o( a past e/e t to (orti(y the i'eo#o+y o( the e%isti + po)er str$"t$re2 the o""$#tatio o( the o 3 o((i"ia# aspe"ts o( the e/e t, s$"h as so"ia# "o (#i"ts a ' !ass str$++#es& Re+ar'i + 4(irst ha ' so$r"es5- The historians territory is completely marked out by the apparatus of repression our memory is that of the power structure which functions as a gigantic recording machine, using the official archives of government services 0Ta% O((i"ers, Treas$ry et"&1 "h$r"h ar"hi/es 0e""#esiasti"a# a""o$ ts1, the ar"hi/es o( po)er($# pri/ate i terests 0tr$sts, .i+ "o!!er"ia# (ir!s1& We know nothing of reality except what can be inferred from the information the power structure has recorded and made available. Occulting the past is so!ethi + i "o /e ie t, to .e +otte ri' o((& Co trast Fre "h a""o$ ts +#ori(yi + the )ar o( #i.eratio )ith the o 3e%iste "e o( a""o$ ts pertai i + to the A#+eria )ar& The rea# ($ "tio o( historio+raphy sho$#' .e to i'e ti(y a ' 'es"ri.e the spe"i(i" re#atio ship .et)ee histori"a# * o)#e'+e a ' the pre/ai#i + !o'e o( pro'$"tio & It is ot a a$to o!o$s i te##e"t$a# a"ti/ity !o/i + i a *i ' o( "#ose' "ir"$it& Chapter 6 History a ' So"ia# Pra"ti"e- O the Si'e o( the Peop#e5s Str$++#es So"ia# str$++#es are o$rishe' .y the past& 0See e%a!p#es, Pa+e ,71 Ho)e/er, "are sho$#' a#so .e ta*e (a#se re/o#$tio ary #e+e 's (or the peop#e5, or 4a!$se the! )ith #yri"a# ta#es&5 0See e%a!p#es, pa+e ,81& ot to 4i /e t

Chapter 9 Was :ar% a Historia ? :ar% 'i' ot st$'y history as a e ' i itse#(& It is rather a theory o( re/o#$tio .y str$++#e that arose (ro! the e"essities o( so"ia# pra"ti"e& It st$'ies past "e t$ries o #y to ret$r .etter ar!e' to the str$++#es o( the prese t& Chapter ; Re/ersi + the past3prese t re#atio ship Thro$+h $!ero$s e%a!p#es, Ches e$% te##s $s ho) ot o #y sho$#' the past sho$#' .e $se' as a too# (or $ 'ersta 'i + the prese t, .$t the prese t as a too# (or $ 'ersta 'i + the past, o( 4sharpe i + the pro(i#e o( the past52 the st$'y o( the prese t is a#)ays re#ate' to the st$'y o( the past& hapter ! " The false assumptions of historical rhetoric Ches e$% atta"*s "ertai aspe"ts o( the pre/a#e t histori"a# !etho'o#o+y& a1 The s$ppose' 'isti "tio .et)ee 4histori"a# (a"ts5 a ' 4/a#$es5- hesneux argues that historical facts are not absolute, they are perceived differently in different times and places, among different social classes and ideological currents. #t the same time, they cannot be directly experienced, since they belong to the past " they can be known only by progressive approximation to a reality that is never completely attained. Pre"isio o( * o)#e'+e, i&e& !a*i + it !ore +e $i e a ' ri"her "a ot .e a"hie/e' thro$+h the historia 5s 4po#iti"a# e$tra#ity5 or 4o.<e"ti/ity5, .$t o #y thro$+h i /o#/e!e t i the po#iti"a# str$++#e& 0Chi e e%a!p#e P+& 9=1 .1 Pri!ary so$r"es a ' se"o 'ary so$r"es- A""or'i + to Ches e$% there is o rea# 'isti "tio .et)ee the t)o& $istorical materials only refract reality in terms of the concerns, the individual or collective interests, of those who collect and use them. The historian is no more neutral than the legislator, the scribe, the archivist, the writer of memoirs, the letter%writer. "1 Dia"hro y3sy "hro y- Tra'itio a# historia s 'i/i'e the a a#ysis o( a histori"a# (a"t i to a /erti"a# series a#o + the ti!e 'i!e sio 0Dia"hro y1 a ' i a hori>o ta# series .ase' o the so"ia# "o!p#e% to )hi"h it .e#o +s

0sy "hro y1, )ith the o.ser/er .ei + e%ter a#& Ches e$% pre(ers to #oo* at it as a spira# patter 0/ery si!i#ar to Carr1 i )hi"h the o.ser/er is at the "e tre, i si'e the histori"a# (ie#'& The spira# !o/es a)ay (ro! the o.ser/er as it re"e'es i ti!e 0???1, .$t he esta.#ishes a 'ire"t re#atio ship )ith ea"h poi t i the past, selectively i ter!s o( "o te!porary "o "er s& The re#atio ship .et)ee o$r o) ti!e a ' ea"h a+e o( the past is o( !ore si+ i(i"a "e tha the re#atio ship o( ea"h past a+e to the rest o( histori"a# ti!e& '1 Perio'isatio - Ches e$% "riti"ises the historia s )ho ha/e !a'e perio'isatio the (o"a# poi t o( their !etho'o#o+y& He says that is a !ere st$'y te"h i?$e, <$sti(ia.#e i "ertai "ases o #y& E&+&, it !i+ht .e $se($# to $s to +ai a .etter +rasp o( ho) e/e ts !$"h ($rther i the past "o$#' .e perio'ise', .$t o #y i( it )ere 'o e i ter!s that are !ea i +($# to $s, si "e )e 'o ee' to * o) ho) po#iti"a# sit$atio s "a .e s$''e #y re/erse' a ' ho) !$tatio s o""$r i the past, there(ore i the prese t& e1 @$a ti(i"atio - @$a ti(i"atio is ot a e ' i itse#( )e ee' to ?$a#itati/e#y a a#yse ?$a titati/e 'ata& 0Priso e%a!p#e, Pa+e ;A1& Ches e$% +oes o to "riti"ise 4histori"a# rhetori"&5 He says it is .oth te"h i"ist a ' pro(essio a#, a ' there(ore e%"#$sio ary& It is intellectualist, i&e& history is re+ar'e' as a 4'is"ip#i e5, a a$to o!o$s a"ti/ity o( the !i '& It is productivist, (o##o)i + the A!eri"a 'i"t$! o( 4p$.#ish or perish&5 0Si!i#ar to Be *i s1& Ches e$% e 's .y 'ra)i + a #i * .et)ee s$"h rhetori" a ' "o##$sio )ith the esta.#ish!e t& He +i/es the e%a!p#e o( the re#atio ship .et)ee the "o#o ia# po)ers a ' the e)#y #i.erate' "o#o ise' "o$ tries e%er"ise' i the (ie#' o( histori"a# st$'ies& Fi a##y, he says that the esse tia# "riterio o( s"ie ti(i" * o)#e'+e re!ai s the t)o3)ay re#atio ship .et)ee theory a ' pra"ti"e& A ' this is so!ethi + that history, .y 'e(i itio , "a a"hie/e o #y thro$+h "o ta"t )ith the prese t& There sho$#' .e a active relationship& 0Pear3:ao e%a!p#e, Pa+e ;91& Si "e )e "a ot a"t o the past 'ire"t#y, )e !$st i "$#"ate a a"ti/e re#atio ship )ith the )or#' o( to'ay, )hi"h is its "$#!i atio & It is .y a a#ysi + i the (irst p#a"e, o$r #i/i + so"iety that +e era# pri "ip#es (or the st$'y o( h$!a so"ieties, i "#$'i + those o( the past, "a .e 'is"o/ere'& Chapter 7 A so"io#o+i"a# po"*et3+$i'e to histori"a# * o)#e'+e 0Irre#e/a t1 Chapter C The Traps o( @$a'ripartitio i History Ches e$% "riti"ises the pre/a#e t syste! o( 'i/i'i + history i to spe"i(i" phases separate' .y sharp "hro o#o+i"a# #i es& It arti(i"ia##y s#i"es $p /ario$s ori+i a# a ' ho!o+e o$s areas o( history, s$"h as the history o( the !ariti!e re+io o( the Da#ti" a ' North Seas .et)ee the thirtee th a ' ei+htee th "e t$ries2 it re#e+ates to the .a"*+ro$ ' so!e o( the !ost i teresti + phe o!e a, the 'eepest !$tatio s a ' histori"a# )atershe's2 0Ro!a e%a!p#e1 It a#so i ter(eres )ith the st$'y o( spe"i(i" #o +3ra +e phe o!e a s$"h as the /i##a+e "o!!$ ity, the ro#e o( $topia, $ "o /e tio a# )ar(are, !ar+i a# so"ia# +ro$ps et"& The res$#t is a (or! o( rea# i 'o"tri atio & The historia (i a##y "o /i "es hi!se#( that his "o!pete "e !$st .e "o (i e' to o e o( the o((i"ia##y appro/e' .asi" "ate+ories a ' he re(rai s (ro! a y atte!pt at +e era# or "o!parati/e thi *i +& Chapter 8 The Historia 5s Nosta#+ia (or 4history i the +ra ' sty#e&5 Ches e$% "riti"ises the historia 5s te!ptatio to 'e/e#op a +e era# 'is"o$rse o )or#' history, to prese t a #o+i"a#, a a#yti"a# /ie) o( the e tire "o$rse o( h$!a 'e/e#op!e t, sho)i + ho) the s$""essio o( +reat histori"a# perio's #ea's i e/ita.#y to the a+e i )hi"h the a$thor is pri/i#e+e' to #i/e& He 'e o$ "es s$"h atte!pts as "o!!er"ia#, a ' a#so i'eo#o+i"a# 0i its re#e/a "e to "$rre t pro.#e!s a ' #i *s .et)ee the past a ' the prese t1& There are (o$r rea"tio s to this )or#'3/ie) o( historya1 Phi#osophy o( History, or theoreti"a# a ' phi#osophi"a# "o si'eratio s o( the "o te t a ' !ea i + o( h$!a history& .1 Histori"a# !etho'o#o+y, or the a a#ysis o( the te"h i?$es o( histori"a# resear"h& "1 Co!parati/e history, or the para##e# a a#ysis o( t)o or three a a#o+o$s "ases o( the sa!e phe o!e o i the past& '1 Historio+raphy, or the ratio a# 'es"riptio o( the s$""essi/e sta+es o( histori"a# * o)#e'+e& Ches e$% +oes o to "riti"ise the approa"h o( A#th$sser, )ho )a ts to a a#yse the spe"i(i" str$"t$res o( histori"is! pe"$#iar to ea"h !o'e o( pro'$"tio 5, a ' i ($rther a.stra"tio , the rea# ai! o( history is ot to * o) )hat has happe e' i history, .$t ho) the "o "ept o history has .ee pro'$"e' i its !ost spe"i(i" (eat$res&

Chapter 1A Pre3"apita#ist so"ieties- Ha/e they a "o!!o past? Ches e$% ?$a#i(ies :ar%5s state!e t that )or#' history .e+i s o #y )ith "apita#is! a ' the "apita#ist !ar*et& Up to the si%tee th "e t$ry, the e%iste "e o( a "o!!o history e/e o e 'eep#y roote' i the past )as !a'e i!possi.#e .y the restri"tio s a ' iso#atio i here t i the ear#ier !o'es o( pro'$"tio - s#a/ery, (e$'a#is! a ' the 4Asiati"5 syste!& Capita#is! ot o #y (a"i#itate' the e!er+e "e o( s$"h a "o!!o history, .y a#so 'is"o/ere' i its $ 'er#yi + pri "ip#es the .asis (or a +#o.a# history prope##e' .y "ertai "o!!o !e"ha is!s& A#tho$+h there )as #o + 'ista "e tra/e# i the pre3"apita#ist so"ieties, a ' they 'i' ot #i/e i iso#atio , si## these re#atio s )ere 'is"o ti $o$s, partia# a ' !ar+i a#& The e!pires rose a ' 'isi te+rate'& The a'/e t$res o( the +reat e%p#orers )ere har'#y * o) at a## a ' i a y "ase soo (or+otte & For s$"h #o +3'ista "e e%"ha +es 'i' ot e((e"t the .asi" e"o o!i" str$"t$res )hether o( the Asiati", s#a/e or (e$'a# type& They )ere ot histori"a##y e"essary to the repro'$"tio o( those str$"t$res& The re#atio s, o "e esta.#ishe', "o$#' easi#y e/aporate, s#ip "o!p#ete#y i to o.#i/io , as happe e' i "ase o( the North!e i Ca a'a or the Chi ese i A(ri"a& Or they "o$#' si!p#y r$ o$t o( stea!, !ar* ti!e et"& These e%p#orers )ere ot i!pe##e' .y the ($ 'a!e ta# e"o o!i" i!perati/es o( their so"ia# syste! to pe etrate, say A$stra#ia, a ' sett#e there& O the other ha ', the re#atio ship the Wester ers esta.#ishe' )ith A$stra#ia i the era o( "apita#is! )as irre/ersi.#e, (or it )as .ase' o str$"t$ra# e"essity2 "apita#is!5s $r+e to)ar's i 'e(i ite e%pa sio )ith a /ie) to the e%pa 'e' repro'$"tio o( "apita#& A ' that is )hat :ar% !ea t )he he sai' that )or#' history .e+i s )ith the )or#' "apita#ist !ar*et&