I'm not very far into the book, but I am far enough to know that it is a book I will enjoy, and that I will find enlightening ... Zinn's account of the History of the United States reminds us that the historical account of happenings is seldom historical, seldom accurate and is ALWAY biased ... One quotation stood out for me this morning:
For all the gold and silver stolen and shipped to Spain did not make the Spanish people richer. It gave their kings an edge in the balance of power for a time, a chance to hire more mercenary soldiers for their wars. They ended up losing those wars anyway, and all that was left was a deadly inflation, a starving population, the rich richer, the poor poorer, and a ruined peasant class ...
As I read this quotation it struck me that with a few editorial changes this quotation about the Spanish Empire from Hans Koning's bio of Chris Columbus could be true of a modern empire too:
For all the oil and resources stolen and shipped to The United States did not make the American people richer. It gave their Presidents an edge in the balance of power for a time, a chance to hire more mercenary soldiers for their war. They ended up losing those wars anyway, and all that was left was deadly inflation, a starving population, the rich richer, the poor poorer, and a ruined peasant class ...
It's good to remember the old adage: "Those who forget thier history are doomed to repeat it ..." Maybe that was Koning's and Zinn's point ... To see where we're heading today, perhaps all we need to do is look back in history ...
I wonder what future generations will say about current events ??
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