Name: Sona Kumar

Roll no: 26110247

Course: LUMS 100

Date: 20-Oct-22

Do Ideas Drive History Or Technology

History is a combination of decisions, actions, humans, interactions, and societies. Every new

generation is contributing towards this umbrella. The collection of every new story and

information makes history unique and unparallel. History mainly consists of those past events

when people in different situations took actions that impacted and modernized society. All of

these aspects of history are interconnected in some ways. Ideas and technology hugely affect

history.

Ideas are the formulated thoughts that arise when an individual or a group faces a problem. A

good idea results from progressive thinking, impacting society which creates a history. Good

ideas, when implemented, result in history. These ideas are not a hierarchy of a person or any

group of individuals. Ideas can come into one's mind irrespective of class or state. According to

the Great Men theory, history is determined by the ideas of the Great Men. However, historians

have contradictory views about this theory, as ideas are not Great men's property. Moreover,

ideas are the primary step to any problem. When we face any problem, our mind starts thinking

about how to overcome that problem. Today history is the successful implementation of the ideas

by the monarch or those in power and how they consider those ideas and turn them into realities,

which has created history.

Technology is another factor that has aided in driving history. Technology is only not the

advancement of machinery and infrastructure but also a technique and changes involved in the

environment. Due to the unprecedented advantages of technology, one can cover the month of

traveling in a few hours and communicate with others from sitting anywhere in the world. We

have access to a global village at our fingertips. Every generation is modifying technology for

the greater good. So these technologies have made our lives much easier and impacted history.

Based on this reasoning, one can say that technology drove history.

However, Before answering this question, does idea drive history, or is it technology? We must

understand that history is the narration of past events which involves different situations. These

different situations create the need for technology. But technology can't be developed without

ideas. So, Ideas are the ones that drive history as they are the primary mean of approaching

problems. For instance, the French military initially relied on pikemen to defend themselves

from musketeer attacks while reloading their weapon. To cope with this, they devised a new idea

and developed a bayonet- a spike-shaped weapon designed to be put at the end of the rifle's

muzzle. They were the first to adopt "Bayonet" in their military.

Another reason ideas drive history is the notion of enlightenment. The French and American

revolutions share the idea of utilitarian and equal rights, which broaden the horizon. The ideas of

liberty, such as religious freedom and the abolition of feudalism, prevail. Enlightenment derives

the ideology of liberalism and nationalism. Liberalism is the political ideology of protecting civil

rights and private property. Nationalism is the political ideology emphasizing the "nation-state."

Two nation theory is its living example.

In conclusion, the notion of enlightenment and solving problems supported the thesis: ideas

derive history.