Margaret MacMillan has studied the lessons of world history from the 1930’s to the present. In a sober assessment of our current times. (“Which Past is Prologue?” Foreign Affairs, September/October 2020)
MacMillan, a professor of history at Oxford University, writes: “The promise of the 1920’s was cut short by the Great Depression. . . . The result was the growth of extremist parties on both the right and the left.”
Then, she wrote, World War II followed because of “powerful leaders deliberately seeking confrontation.”
U.S. President Trump, MacMillan indicates, is a poor student of history and under him, “the United States has lost much of its moral authority.”
He has renounced arms control, pulled the United States out of the World Health Organization in the midst of a pandemic, flattered dictators, and weakened alliances that have benefitted the U.S. since the end of World War II. He attacks the free press and attempts to demean anyone who criticizes him.
Could his dance with dictators mirror the appeasement of Hitler by world leaders, leading eventually to the war?
At the end of her article, MacMillan writes of leaders at a crossroads: “Wise and brave ones may guide the world through the storms. Let us hope the last group has read some history.”
Margaret MacMillian’s observation “World War II followed because of “powerful leaders deliberately seeking confrontation.” reminds me of a conversation I was having just last week. All you have to do is observe small children at play. The boys pick up sticks and run around with incredible energy. Girls tend to play more quietly. Even at that age, we see gender traits: aggression in males and connection in females. This might be another good reason for females in national positions of leadership.
Diverse voices and ways of looking at situations can bring fresh suggestions for solving problems. Diversity does require respect and civility.