The Role of the Individual in History
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- Create Date：2021-04-12 11:56:02
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Georgi Plekhanov
- ISBN：1410209482
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Summary
The Role of the Individual in History was first published in 1898， and occupies a very prominent place among those of Plekhanov's works in which he substantiates and defends Marxism and advocates the Marxian theory of social development。 Georgi Valentinovich Plekhanov （1856-1918） was one of the leaders of Russian populism and after his emigration to Western Europe in 1880 became the foremost Russian Marxist abroad。 He founded in 1883， together with Pavel Axelrod， the 'Group for the Liberation of Labor'， the first Russian social democratic party， and in 1900 together with Lenin the 'Iskra'， the first Russian Marxist newspaper， but a few years later broke with Lenin and sided with the Mensheviks。
Reviews
George Velez
，
This book gives a different perspective when analyzing major unavoidable historical events。 Understanding our personal responsibility in the unfolding of these events is in a way empowering。
Will
，
Plekhanov's insights into social development and history at the end of the 19th century are now historiographical dogma。 But I can't help but what wonder what he would make of social media and mass media， and the growing power of the few to guide the many。 Plekhanov's insights into social development and history at the end of the 19th century are now historiographical dogma。 But I can't help but what wonder what he would make of social media and mass media， and the growing power of the few to guide the many。 。。。more
Reinhard Gaul
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Written in a persauasive format， and referencing and debunking a lot of arguments from philosophers and historians I’ve never heard of， this book was hard for me to follow completely。 The main idea I grabbed onto from the author is that individuals in history are rarely as pivotal to world events as we might think。 Rather， social and economic climates of the time will create demand for individuals with certain traits to emerge and be the face of a new underpinning， widespread， trend。 If Napoleon Written in a persauasive format， and referencing and debunking a lot of arguments from philosophers and historians I’ve never heard of， this book was hard for me to follow completely。 The main idea I grabbed onto from the author is that individuals in history are rarely as pivotal to world events as we might think。 Rather， social and economic climates of the time will create demand for individuals with certain traits to emerge and be the face of a new underpinning， widespread， trend。 If Napoleon for example hadn't existed perhaps another person with traits similar to his would have taken his place as the revolutionary that France needed at that time。 The book is very dull and is widely accepted as communist propaganda but it does have very interesting conclusion: men are not great because they influence history but because they give aid to great social causes of the time。 This idea can be viewed as the foundation of the Marxist prioritization of aggregate societal welfare before that of the individual。 。。。more
Donatas
，
An interesting view on the role of the individual in the social processes。 The book explores topics such as whether an individual can choose his destiny and course of action or is it predetermined; what is the cause of major social shifts in the society; and does it depend on heroes in the society。 Although written at the end of XIXth century， some strings of the very same line of thought can still be found in some contemporary books on sociology， economics or leadership
Gh Ul
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A drag， far too long for what it says which is basically that the individual can only change individual aspects of history and not the general trends。
քամի
，
առաջին երեք մասերը հետաքրքիր էին՝ ազատ կամքի մասին իր դիտարկումներն առաւել եւս։ յետոյ ջուր էր ծեծում։հետաքրքիր էր ազատ կամքի թեման մարքսիստի վերլուծութեամբ կարդալ ու մի բան էր հետաքրքիր նշում՝ ազատ կամքի ժխտման դէպքում տատանումների ու անհանգստութեան նուազումը， այլ կերպ ասած՝ պատասխանատուութեան զգացումդ թուլանում ա ու քո ինչ֊որ քայլեր անելը անխուսափելի ա դառնում։ ու դէ， ես կուզէի աւելի մանրամասն կարդալ， թէ էդ դէպքում ինչ կերպ ես դու պատասխանատուութիւն կրելու քո քայլերի համար， եթէ հանգամանքների բե առաջին երեք մասերը հետաքրքիր էին՝ ազատ կամքի մասին իր դիտարկումներն առաւել եւս։ յետոյ ջուր էր ծեծում։հետաքրքիր էր ազատ կամքի թեման մարքսիստի վերլուծութեամբ կարդալ ու մի բան էր հետաքրքիր նշում՝ ազատ կամքի ժխտման դէպքում տատանումների ու անհանգստութեան նուազումը， այլ կերպ ասած՝ պատասխանատուութեան զգացումդ թուլանում ա ու քո ինչ֊որ քայլեր անելը անխուսափելի ա դառնում։ ու դէ， ես կուզէի աւելի մանրամասն կարդալ， թէ էդ դէպքում ինչ կերպ ես դու պատասխանատուութիւն կրելու քո քայլերի համար， եթէ հանգամանքների բերումով անխուսափելի էր քո տուեալ քայլն անելը։ 。。。more
Celeste
，
I purchased this book expecting to read a dazzling manifesto of the triumph of the individual will and the many unexpected accomplishments a person of great strength would bring about。I didn’t know this would be less than 100 pages， yet costing more than the other novels I’d bought， published by an obscure University Press of the Pacific。This essay reminded me of the things that kept me at arm’s length from studying philosophy seriously。 The first is the pedantry of terms used （does the world ha I purchased this book expecting to read a dazzling manifesto of the triumph of the individual will and the many unexpected accomplishments a person of great strength would bring about。I didn’t know this would be less than 100 pages， yet costing more than the other novels I’d bought， published by an obscure University Press of the Pacific。This essay reminded me of the things that kept me at arm’s length from studying philosophy seriously。 The first is the pedantry of terms used （does the world have time for this？ Yet it is necessary to sharpen one’s thinking）; the second is the thought experiments that feel like inadequate and watered down representations of the world， appropriating mathematical equations in a way I find quite absurd; the third is the roundabout way of gathering and challenging/ co opting different philosophers’ ideas。In summary:1） This essay starts off by exploring the notion of free will， if freedom can be defined in relation to necessity， and the erroneous thinking that perceiving a lack of free will would immobilise one’s actions2） General causes vs strong individuals — a general trend/ social phenomena in history cannot be discounted。 It didn’t matter if Napoleon didn’t exist; another general could have taken his place and *roughly* give rise to similar outcomes。 It would not have been identical to Napoleon’s， but not differ widely from it either3） This reminded me of Tolstoy’s stance as a historian in War and Peace4） THE MAIN CONCLUSION， if you don’t want to read all 62 pages: “A great man is great not because his personal qualities give individual features to great historical events， but because he possesses qualities which make him most capable of serving the great social needs of his time， needs which arose as a result of general and particular causes。 A great man （according to Carlyle） is a beginner because he sees further than others， and desires things more strongly than others。 He solves the scientific problems brought Ho by the preceding process of intellectual development of society; he points to the new social needs created by the preceding development of social relationships; he takes the initiative in satisfying these needs。 He is a hero， but not in the sense that he can stop or change the natural cause of things — but in the sense that his activities are the conscious and free expression of this inevitable and unconscious course。”5） I。e。 Be at the right place at the right time where your personal qualities can be fully manifested and appreciated。 。。。more
Eylem
，
Tarihte bireyin rolü ne kadar önemli olursa olsun，onu belirleyen toplumsal ilişkilerdir。Toplumsal ilişkilere göre birey kendini konumlamaktadır。Plehanov，tarihçilerin bakış açılarını eleştirerek savını örneklerle okuyucuya sunuyor。Tekrar tekrar okunması gerektiğini düşündüğüm ve çok beğendiğim bir kitap oldu。Herkese tavsiye ederim。
Gavin
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Some discussion of materialism being incompatible with free will。 Christian Necessarians。 Karl Lamprecht。 French Revolution and Napoleon。 The last two I'm reasonably familiar with， the rest was all new to me。 A very nice quote by Stendhal included。I forget what led me to this， but I did learn， so I appreciate that。 Some discussion of materialism being incompatible with free will。 Christian Necessarians。 Karl Lamprecht。 French Revolution and Napoleon。 The last two I'm reasonably familiar with， the rest was all new to me。 A very nice quote by Stendhal included。I forget what led me to this， but I did learn， so I appreciate that。 。。。more
Stefan Bruun
，
A short and interesting read。 Ray Dalio mentioned this book was gifted to him from Wang Qishan and I picked it up for that reason。 While there are a few interesting （from an ideology perspective） ideas， I wouldn't say it had changed or challenged my mind when I put it down。 A short and interesting read。 Ray Dalio mentioned this book was gifted to him from Wang Qishan and I picked it up for that reason。 While there are a few interesting （from an ideology perspective） ideas， I wouldn't say it had changed or challenged my mind when I put it down。 。。。more
Juan Rivera
，
Now that it is going to be fashionable in Mexico， I am learning and studying something of Marxism 。。。 For example， one of the proposals of Marxism is that history is a science， and the results of history are conclusions that are being made According to human behavior， it does not matter as much as individuals， but people in general and the laws of history。 That is why Marxism will be a necessary conclusion of history。This concussion is endorsed in "The Role of the Individual in History" by Georg Now that it is going to be fashionable in Mexico， I am learning and studying something of Marxism 。。。 For example， one of the proposals of Marxism is that history is a science， and the results of history are conclusions that are being made According to human behavior， it does not matter as much as individuals， but people in general and the laws of history。 That is why Marxism will be a necessary conclusion of history。This concussion is endorsed in "The Role of the Individual in History" by Georgi V。 Plekhanov， someone much admired of Lenin。Plekhanov proposes that it does not matter if people like Napoleon， Leonardo da Vinci or even Lenin did not exist， in any case the empire， the rebirth and the communism in Russia would have occurred。Sorry， but he's totally wrong。 What do you think？ 。。。more
William Glass
，
Very thought provoking。 Slow in the beginning but opened up my mind。 You can read the full review here - https://financialglass。com/2018/02/01。。。 Very thought provoking。 Slow in the beginning but opened up my mind。 You can read the full review here - https://financialglass。com/2018/02/01。。。 。。。more
Michael Huang
，
[Principles， Ray Dalio， gift from WANG Qishan to Dalio]
pplofgod
，
"In the ethical sense every man is great who， to use the Biblical phrase， “lays down his life for his friend。” - From the book。 "In the ethical sense every man is great who， to use the Biblical phrase， “lays down his life for his friend。” - From the book。 。。。more
Leonardo
，