"History may be divided into three movements: what moves rapidly, what moves slowly and what appears not to move at all"
- Fernand Braudel
About this Quote
This quote by Fernand Braudel is a reflection on the nature of history and how it can be divided into 3 unique movements. The first movement is what moves rapidly, which can be analyzed as the occasions that are most visible and instant in the present. These are the events that are most quickly remembered and recorded, and they are the ones that are usually gone over in the present. The second movement is what moves gradually, which can be interpreted as the occasions that are less visible and take longer to unfold. These are the occasions that are typically forgotten or neglected, however they are the ones that shape the course of history in the long run. The third motion is what appears not to move at all, which can be translated as the occasions that are so deeply ingrained in the past that they are practically forgotten. These are the occasions that are frequently neglected, however they are the ones that have the most extensive effect on the present and the future. By comprehending these three movements, we can get a much better understanding of the past and how it forms the present.
"A lawyer without history or literature is a mechanic, a mere working mason; if he possesses some knowledge of these, he may venture to call himself an architect"
"We have our own history, our own language, our own culture. But our destiny is also tied up with the destinies of other people - history has made us all South Africans"
"It is humiliating to remain with our hands folded while others write history. It matters little who wins. To make a people great it is necessary to send them to battle even if you have to kick them in the pants. That is what I shall do"
