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Dictators, perhaps because they know their own lies so well, have usually realized the power of history. Consequently, they have tried to rewrite, deny, or destroy the past.

— Margaret MacMillan The Uses and Abuses of History (2008)

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More quotes by Margaret MacMillan

Over the years, historians have tried to discern grand patterns, perhaps one grand pattern, that explain everything.

The Uses and Abuses of History (2008)

Lost golden ages can be very effective tools for motivating people in the present.

The Uses and Abuses of History (2008)

Histories that that show past injustices or crimes can be used to argue for redress in the present.

The Uses and Abuses of History (2008)

History does not produce definitive answers for all time. It is a process.

The Uses and Abuses of History (2008)

We have to be careful to cast our gaze as widely as possible. If we only look for the lessons that reinforce decisions we have already made, we will run into trouble.

The Uses and Abuses of History (2008)

All Margaret MacMillan quotes →

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Margaret MacMillan (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.