I can see ... only one safe rule for the historian: that he should recognize in the development of human destinies the play of the contingent and the unforeseen.
Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Historians must accept that chance and unexpected events shape human history significantly.
- In plain terms
- History should account for luck and surprise, not just planned causes.
- What can you take from it?
- Chance plays a major role in history.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How much of history is planned vs. random?
- Should historians study luck?
Another view
Emphasizing chance may downplay human responsibility.
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