Friedrich Hayek on how historians are overly impressed with powerful states

Nothing is more misleading... than the conventional formulae of historians who represent the achievement of a powerful state as the culmination of cultural evolution: it often marked its end.

~ Friedrich Hayek, The Fatal Conceit

Robert Higgs on the measure of a great president

My idea of a great president is one who acts in accordance with his oath of office to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."  Not since the presidency of Grover Cleveland has any president achieved greatness by this standard.  Worse, the most admired have been those who failed most miserably.  Evidently my standard differs from that employed by others who judge presidential greatness.

~ Robert Higgs, "No More Great Presidents," The Free Market, March 1997

Grover Cleveland
1931

African proverb on historians

Until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always have their historians.

~ African proverb

Will Durant on history serving as a determinant of the present economic and social structure

In the end nothing is lost, for good or evil every event has effects forever.

~Will Durant, historian, "Our Oriental Heritage," 1935, pg. 264

Will Durant on the permanence of bad ideas

There is hardly an absurdity of the past that cannot be found flourishing somewhere in the present.

~ Will Durant, historian, "Our Oriental Heritage," 1935, pg. 244

Will Durant on the fragility of civilization

Civilization is an occasional and temporary interruption of the jungle.

~Will Durant, historian, "Our Oriental Heritage," 1935, pg. 226

Will Durant on civilization

Civilization is a stream with banks. The stream is sometimes filled with blood from people killing, stealing, shouting and doing the things historians usually record, while on the banks, unnoticed, people build homes, make love, raise children, sing songs, write poetry and even whittle statues. The story of civilization is the story of what happened on the banks.  Historians are pessimists because they ignore the banks for the river.

~ Will Durant, The Story of Civilization (1935)