Human existence is an intricate tapestry, with history standing as a pivotal thread that weaves together triumphs, challenges, and the shared experiences of the societies before us.
As Winston Churchill poignantly remarked, “History is written by the victors.” Similarly, Napoleon Bonaparte suggested that ‘history is a fable agreed upon’. These perspectives highlight the contentious nature of historical narratives—often subject to the interpretations and biases of those who record them.
However, the act of possible tampering with historical events solely for the interest of one’s personal gain will ultimately jeopardize the integrity and the foundation upon which our collective understanding of the past rests.
Revisionism And the Double-Edged Sword
The act of manipulating historical facts is not a new phenomenon. Throughout time, those in power have exploited their positions to shape narratives that reflect their interests, often at the expense of truth.
One example on how history revisionism was a common tool used to alter historical events was committed by the Communist Party as an attempt at manipulating the narrative during the Soviet era. The Soviet Union, under the orders of Joseph Stalin, engaged in the falsification of a number of legal documents and photographs; a reprehensible attempt at concealing and undermining the tragedy of The Great Purge that took place in 1937 Soviet Union (Reference)
The act of historical revisioning could also be seen through the many decades of denials of the atrocious acts committed by the Japanese soldiers during World War II. The late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was a part of the study group denying the war crimes committed by the Japanese regime during the Nanjing Massacre, denying accountability for the war horrors. The document, which used to be available in Japan’s Diet archive is now no longer traceable. (Reference)
The concept of revisionism of history however can be a double-edged sword. While revisionism might stimulate one’s critical thinking and provide a more nuanced understanding of a particular historical event, an inaccurate take on revisionism is detrimental to one’s understanding of a nation’s history.
The necessity of rewriting historical events emerges in instances where the original narrative has been skewed or tampered with. In the case of the Native Americans, for instance, revisionist historians are actively seeking to provide a more accurate and balanced re-telling of the accounts experienced by the indigenous people. (Reference)
And in instances as such, the rewriting of historical events is clearly warranted to further prevent any misinterpretation that could lead to bigger issues arising in the future. While revising historical events can be necessary to amend misconceptions or provide a more nuanced understanding, it also carries detrimental risks of distorting facts, leading to biased interpretations.
To prevent such instances from happening, knowledge plays a vital role in reducing these risks.
It can act as a barrier against misinformation and misinterpretation, ultimately leading to fostering a well-informed public with the capabilities of making informed decisions, ultimately leading to a just and equitable society.
Access To Knowledge Critical for Critical Thinking
As Mohandas K. Gandhi stated, “The light of knowledge can never dawn on the proud.”
Access to knowledge is not just about absorbing the facts.
It’s about cultivating one’s ability to think critically, enhancing cultural awareness, comprehension, and enabling us as a group to actively participate in the past and the present. Knowledge is an essential part of the context of history where it helps to promote cultural awareness and tolerance. However, the pursuit of historical truth is not without difficulties.
While the absence of dominant power may create an opportunity for diverse perspectives to arise, the result depends largely on the dedication to transparency, accuracy as well as the access to unbiased sources of information.
Ethical Responsibility to Preserve Historical Integrity
The work of historians, scholars, and researchers is pivotal in researching and interpreting history. A vibrant academic setting that encourages rigorous research and challenges existing narratives can lead to the discovery and dissemination of new historical truths. Striking a balance between different perspectives is essential for an accurate and unbiased understanding of history to emerge.
American historian Henry Steele Commager once stated, “History is a jangle of accidents, blunders, surprises, and absurdities, and so is our knowledge of it, but if we are to report it at all, we must impose some order upon it.”
We must acknowledge that our interpretation of history is influenced by contemporary feelings and beliefs, which can shape narratives and lead to the potential misalignment of facts.
In navigating historical discourse, it is our ethical responsibility to uphold the truth and resist manipulating history for personal gain. With time, history often reveals its truths, shedding light on what was once obscured by our prejudices.
As long as there is prejudice in how history is interpreted, it will always have a biased angle. But as time moves on, and time eventually cuts off all ties to that specific period, history becomes more impartial. We have seen this repeatedly. The people who try to distort and manipulate history to fit a political or religious agenda are sadly the ones who end up being stained in the pages of history, because as Shakespeare’s Launcelot says so well in The Merchant of Venice: “…but at length, truth will out.”
Vijay Eswaran is an entrepreneur, speaker, and philanthropist. He is the Founder and Executive Chairman of the QI Group of Companies, a multi-business conglomerate with headquarters in Hong Kong, offices in more than 25 countries and customers in over 100 countries.