"Throughout this evolution from left to right, Beard always detested war. Hence his writings were slanted to show that the military side of history was insignificant or a mere reflection of economic forces"
- Samuel E. Morison
About this Quote
This quote by Samuel E. Morison is describing the advancement of the historian Charles A. Beard's views on history. Beard was a progressive historian who initially had a left-wing view of history, however ultimately shifted to a more conservative view. In spite of this shift in his views, Beard always had a strong aversion to war and its impacts. This is reflected in his works, which typically downplayed the value of the military side of history and rather concentrated on the financial forces that drove it. This quote highlights the consistency of Beard's views on war, despite his altering views on other aspects of history. It also functions as a pointer of the value of financial forces in driving history, a point that Beard was keen to emphasize in his works.
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