"There is no history of mankind, there are only many histories of all kinds of aspects of human life. And one of these is the history of political power. This is elevated into the history of the world"

Karl Popper challenges the common notion that human history is a singular, cohesive narrative often dominated by accounts of political events or the actions of rulers and states. By asserting that there is no single “history of mankind,” he draws attention to the plurality and diversity of human experience across time. Human life unfolds along many dimensions: cultural, technological, economic, artistic, scientific, and social, to name a few. Each strand encapsulates unique narratives, trajectories, and meanings. The totality of what has occurred cannot be accurately reduced to only one storyline or interpreted solely from one vantage point.

Popper singles out the history of political power as just one aspect among many possible facets of historical inquiry. Political history, with its focus on conquests, governments, revolutions, legislation, and war, often receives disproportionate emphasis, overshadowing the lives, aspirations, and contributions of ordinary people. Recognizing political power as only one among many histories reminds us that other vital spheres, family structures, technological innovation, cultural and religious transformation, economic systems, equally shape the fate of individuals and societies.

The final observation reflects on the tendency among historians, philosophers, and perhaps the general public to treat the succession of empires and the exploits of rulers as synonymous with “world history.” By elevating the history of political power to the status of world history, we risk both oversimplification and distortion. This elevation can obscure the agency and creativity manifest in everyday life, as well as the profound changes that occur outside the realm of politics. Popper’s argument serves as a call for humility and pluralism in reconstructing the past, urging us to embrace a more nuanced, multifaceted understanding of history that does justice to the diversity of human experience. In doing so, we also acknowledge that the story of humanity is richer and more intricate than any single narrative can capture.