The whig party was presumably against the war in mexico, but it was not against. Their methodology consists in abstracting things from their context, overdramatisation of. The whig interpretation of history quotes by herbert. History hereafter, the whig interpretation with a strong criticism of. The whig interpretation of history whigs progressive vs. Do you think it was inevitable that the usa would one day have a nonwhite president. The whig interpretation of history herbert butterfield. Like much of butterfields work elegant and teasing you think its saying something important but youre not quite sure what it actually is. Freedom is a powerful force, but it does not advance on the wheels of historical inevitability. Whiggism in the history of science and the study of the. Herbert butterfield and the study of history the historical journal. The whig interpretation of history herbert butterfield snippet view 1951. On top of this critique, that whig history isnt tenable as it is demonstrably wrong, whig history contains the theoretically suspect category of progress, which is necessarily ideological in form.
Gibraltar, and the urgency of his king for peace, explain and justify the. Tories reactionary herbert butterfield, the whig interpretation of history, london, 1931. The whig interpretation of history quotes showing 12 of 2 the study of the past with one eye upon the present is the source of all sins and sophistries in history. Eliohs butterfield the whig interpretation of history 6. It might be called the historians pathetic fallacy.
Eye on the presentthe whig history of science from the december 17, 2015 issue. The whig interpretation of history paperback january 1, 1973 by herbert butterfield author see all 8 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Constantly such systems must be thrown back into the melting pot. So upon the whig interpretation of history we have imposed the peculiar historians ethics, by which we can overlook the fact that a king is a spendthrift and a rake, but cannot contain our moral passions if a king has too exalted a view of his own office. When we read the history books given to children in the united states, it all. Two cheers for the whig interpretation of history perspectives on. The british historian herbert butterfield, in his small but influential book the whig interpretation of history 1931 whose title actually coined the phrase. Butterfield to any interpretation of history that studies the past with reference to the present.
The interpretation of history return to religiononline the interpretation of history by paul tillich paul tillich is generally considered one of the centurys outstanding and influential thinkers. Jan 09, 2020 the whig interpretation of history by sir herbert butterfield, september 1965, w. Read today comes across as tamer and more obvious in hindsight that its reputation suggests. The whig narrative and american christianity james r. The whig interpretation of history quotes by herbert butterfield. This was how herbert butterfield described historians who project modern attitudes on to the past, pass moral judgments on historical figures, and regard history as significant only to the extent that it labored to. Central to the whig interpretation of history was the long conflict between crown and parliament that dominated the seventeenth century. The british historian herbert butterfield coined the term whig history in his short but influential book the whig interpretation of history 1931. They saw british history as the inevitable unfolding of progress, especially liberty and parliamentary rule, with the inexorable defeat of. The following study deals with the whig interpretation of history in what i conceive to be the accepted meaning of the phrase.
Apr 25, 2010 5081 the whig view of history the whig view of history is more often than not now used as a pejorative. The history of interpretation and current approaches to the bible biblical interpretation through the centuries throughout the centuries there have been hot debates about the meaning of scriptures. Butterfields book, the whig interpretation of history 1931, became a classic for history students and is still widely read. Liberty comes to the world from english traditions, wrote butterfield, not from french theories. A member of an 18th and 19thcentury british political party that was opposed to the tories. How could such a supposedly perfect political and economic system allow for such a disastrous and seemingly pointless enterprise. The whig interpretation of history by herbert butterfield when i first began to spend my time doing serious historical research, i often came across the word whiggish used in a negative sense to describe a historical thesis or set of ideas. It takes its name from the british whigs, advocates of the power of parliament, who opposed the tories, advocates of the power of the king. Whig party history the whig party was a political party of the united states during the era of jacksonian democracy. Whigs british political party, one of two political parties in england, great britain, ireland, and later. Whig history or whig historiography is an approach to historiography that presents the past as an inevitable progression towards ever greater liberty and enlightenment, culminating in modern forms of liberal democracy and constitutional monarchy in general, whig historians emphasize the rise of constitutional government, personal freedoms and scientific progress. Its a survey of how the writing of history has changed dare i say evolved. While they regretted the bloodshed of the civil war and the execution of king charles i, the whigs saw the defeat of the crown and its subjugation to parliament as essential to the establishment of a free society.
At least it covers all that is ordinarily understood by the words, though possibly it gives them also an extended sense. And the term whig interpretation has been applied to both the latter and to all types of presentminded history. The whig interpretation of history york university. This book is a critical essay on the whig interpretation of history according to the theory standing behind, i. Nov 20, 2007 a good old classic for the metahistory tag today. This article addresses the diminution of historical understanding in english.
Sir herbert butterfield fba 7 october 1900 20 july 1979 was regius professor of history and vicechancellor of the university of cambridge. It characterized many historians, such as thomas babington macaulay 18001859. What does it mean to have a whiggish view of history. Taking butterfields classic work as reference, new historians established that presentism a term usually ascribed to whig history or anachronistic history was one of the most grievous errors in the writing of history graham, 1981, p. Such an interpretation looks at the past in terms of present ideas. This is ethno historian francis jenningss interpretation of captain john masons. He wrote in the preface to this 1931 book, the following study deals with the whig interpretation of history in what i conceive to be the accepted meaning of the phrase. Whig history or whig historiography is an approach to historiography that presents the past as. The theory was dealt a shocking blow by the first world war and what followed it. The whig theory of history was the orthodox interpretation of the past right up until the great war. It really seems like a critique, or insult to the author when he is accused of whig history. The whig interpretation of history is superb meditation on the craft of history and how it can be distorted by whig history. The whig interpretation of history was given its classic form by lord macaulay and other 19th century english historians mainly of whig political persuasion.
Butterfield defines the whig view of history as the theory that we study the past for the sake of the present p. Robert mchenry may 12, 2008 ive been reading a history of histories by the british historian john burrow. It is the era in which parties took the place of churches as a political force. Whig interpretation of history september 1965 edition.
You are currently accessing a host within our content delivery network, which places mirrors of our text archive in various locations globally. It sees history as always progressing toward the abolition of arbitrary differences between people. Herbert butterfield and the interpretation of history k. This in turn was a product of the common law, one of the traditions that abulafia identifies as one of britains really englands distinctive features. Whiggism in the history of science and the study of the life. A classic essay on the distortions of history that occur when historians impose a rigid point of view on the study of the past. In the whig interpretation of history, herbert butterfield critiques historians who let their perception of the present influence their study of the past. Herbert butterfield and the study of history volume 27 issue 3 g. Considered integral to the second party system and operating from the early 1830s to the mid1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of president andrew jackson and his democratic party. Whig history or whig historiography is the approach to historiography which presents the past as an inevitable progression towards ever greater liberty and enlightenment, culminating in modern forms of liberal democracy and constitutional monarchy quotes. When, like athenagoras, he condemns second marriage as specious adultery, he has no manner of doubt that he is expressing the opinion of st.
What butterfield famously called the whig interpretation of history was borne out of the seventeenthcentury idea of the ancient constitution. To the editors steven weinberg suggests, in eye on the presentthe whig history of science nyr, december 17, 2015, that historians of science may be permitted to view the past in terms of modern knowledge called whig history, whereas others may not. Whig synonyms, whig pronunciation, whig translation, english dictionary definition of whig. The whig narrative is the popular version of whig history. Sir herbert butterfield was regius professor of history and vicechancellor of the university of cambridge. For who can arrest the torrent that will pour onward to the west. After teaching theology and philosophy at various german universities, he. It is the essence of what we mean by the word unhistorical. A peoples history of the united states, 1492present mv lindsey. Herbert butterfields the whig interpretation of history. A term used at the time for patriots, supporters of the american revolution. The whig interpretation of history by butterfield, herbert and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Sep 01, 2012 what was the whig interpretation of history, and why did butterfield find it so objectionable.
This landing page will provide information regarding the host youre currently connected to, along with links to access the text archive and news updates related to the cdn. A pejorative nickname for the kirk party, a radical presbyterian faction of the scottish covenanters during the 17thcentury wars of the three kingdoms. The whig interpretation of history by sir herbert butterfield, september 1965, w. The whig party, a supposed revival of the historical whig party, launched in 2014. In that sense, it was applied by him later to the kind of history of science in which past science and scientists were judged in the light of modern l peter bowler, the whig interpretation of geology, biology and philosophy, 3 1988, 100. Herbert butterfield 19001979 was a british historian and philosopher of history, who also wrote christianity and history and the origins of history. Oct 04, 2003 the whig interpretation of history is a concept in historiography that is too presentoriented when dealing with the past. The whig interpretation of history internet archive. It is part and parcel of the whig interpretation of history that it studies the past with. Over the course of his career, butterfield turned increasingly to. In fact many church councils were called to end what was considered heretical teachings and debates about the meaning of gods written word.
Many critics saw the englishman and his history as a reversal of butterfields critique of. The whig vision of history derived from the commonlaw claim of. It pictured the history of mankind as a continued advance, albeit interrupted by periods of retreat, including the dark ages after the decline and fall of the roman empire, at last. Scholasticism william of ockham the principle of parsimony. Less a book than a lengthy essay, the whig interpretation of history is a. Whiggish people almost universally the great and the good among white men. As a british historian and philosopher of history, he is remembered chiefly for a short volume early in his career entitled the whig interpretation of history 1931 and for his origins of modern science 1949. What was the whig interpretation of history, and why did butterfield find it so objectionable. The whig interpretation of history by herbert butterfield. They saw british history as the inevitable unfolding of progress, especially liberty and parliamentary rule, with the inexorable defeat of toryism and absolute monarchy. Herbert butterfield and the interpretation of history. The whig interpretation of history herbert butterfield on. Whig government, a list of british whig governments. The whig historian studies the past with reference to the present.
The theory that is behind the whig interpretation the theory that we study the past for the sake of the present is one that is really introduced for the purpose of facilitating the abridgement of history. The whig interpretation of history is a concept in historiography that is too presentoriented when dealing with the past. Lord woolf reason to talk of a torrent of constitutional changes. Butterfield published the whig interpretation of history in 1931. It is part and parcel of the whig interpretation of history that it studies the past with reference to the present. The whig interpretation of history herbert butterfield w. The whig interpretation of history is not merely the property of whigs and it is much more subtle than mental bias. The liberal ideas bred in sectarian circles, here and in america, did not become the common property of mankind until they were detached from their theological root, and became the creed of a party. I am new to history, but what strikes me is that people in the field often complain that a certain text is too much whig history. Whig history has many similarities with the marxist theory of history, which believes that humanity is moving through historical stages to the classless, egalitarian society of communism. Butterfield had in mind especially the historians of his own country but his criticism of the retrospective creation of a line of progress toward the glorious present can be and has subsequently been applied generally. The life and thought of herbert butterfield printerfriendly version pdf version. Whig partisan view of the english constitution and the whig view of history which dominated british historiography in the victorian era. As summarized in his preface, it was the tendency in many historians to write on the side of protestants and whigs, to praise revolutions provided they have been successful, to emphasise certain principles of progress in the past and to produce a.
926 340 450 545 903 293 1021 1363 525 1337 1109 779 753 411 96 39 576 1441 856 33 1087 611 618 1072 1242 410 1262 978 1104 1359 501 888 389 1041 965 928