Buy term paper on Historiography and Critical Historical Thinking

IIt is worth mentioning the fact that traditionally history used to be viewed as static and the historical development was viewed as a repetitive process. The Darwin’s evolution theory and the evolutionary perspective on history and historical development have revolutionized views of historians. In fact, the evolution theory stimulated the emergence of new theories which interpreted the historical development. These theories viewed the development of the society as the struggle between different classes and groups, whereas at the international level they viewed the struggle people countries as a sort of natural selection. The evolution theory contributed to the strengthening of the position of the idea of the linear historical development, which means that the world’s and society’s development is linear. In other words, the world and society keeps progressing over and over again. However, such a perspective on history failed to explain adequately the downfall of ancient civilization and the degradation of certain countries and regions after decades and centuries of blossoming.
At this point, Karl Marx’s views on history proved to be particularly helpful and useful because they contributed to the development of the cyclical view on the development of the world and its constant progress and improvement as the society passes through different stages in its development. To put it more precisely, Karl Marx stood on the ground that revolutionary changes of social formation and progressive development of history based on changes of modes of production and social formations led to the ongoing progress of human society. He distinguished several stages in the development of the world civilization from the slavery to feudalism, capitalism, which was supposed to shift toward communism. His periodization of history and his view on history at large mirrored his view on the development of society as the struggle between antagonistic classes, subordinate and dominant ones and it is through this struggle the changes in society occurred.buy term paper
However, today, historiography can hardly be narrowed to the struggle between countries, regions or classes. Instead, it is important to overcome national and cultural boundaries and develop a cross-cultural perspective on history (Bentley, 1996, 751). In this respect, it is possible to refer to Bentley and his cross-cultural interaction and periodization. In fact, the cross-cultural perspective eliminates subjectivity typical for periodization and historical theories grounded on subjective approaches developed from the perspective of certain culture. The latter perspective can be applied on the regional level solely, whereas the cross-cultural perspective can become a truly universal approach to history. At any rate, the cross cultural perspective opens larger opportunities for the objective evaluation and analysis of history.

References:
Bentley, J. H. (June 1996), “Cross-Cultural Interaction and Periodization in World History,” American Historical Review 101(3): 749-770.
Marx, K. and F. Engels. (1848), Manifesto of the Communist Party, [“I. Bourgeois and Proletarians”],
O’Neil, D. “Darwin and Natural Selection,”
Zerubavel, E. (1998), “Language and memory: ‘pre-columbian’ America and the social logic of periodization,” Social Research 65(2): 315-330.