The Choice of History and the History of Choice (Studies on Late Modern Russian Revolution and Reform)

Author: Zhao Shiguo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: History is objectively existing and follows certain patterns. The development and change of history progress from backward to advanced, from barbarism to civilization, with a gradual acceleration in speed. This is an overall trend. However, the process of history is not always smooth and steady; it has twists, setbacks, sometimes surges forward even jumping ahead, and at times it may stagnate or even break and disappear. Yet, in the face of the laws of historical development, humans are not entirely passive. People possess subjective initiative and historical creativity. Historical materialism holds that, "history is merely the activity of people pursuing their own goals." Therefore, the of history does not exclude its. "The selectivity of history is the concrete manifestation of human's conscious choice ability, reflecting human's subjective initiative and creativity in history." In reality, the selectivity of history is embedded within its.