August 27, 2025
National History
Alongside true scientific history, there is a type of history I would call national history. Its purpose is to exalt ideals that are considered positive and foundational to a nation.
For example, in our school books, we find an unqualified exaltation of the Italian Risorgimento (the name itself is telling), where patriots and liberals are the good guys, and reactionaries and Austrians are the villains.
In reality, events are far more complex, and the overall judgment can be viewed from other perspectives. For instance, we consider Garibaldi and Mazzini to be fathers of the nation, but in fact, post-unification Italy was completely different from the one they dreamed of.