Answer
E. H. Carr
Explanation
British historian E. H. Carr (1892-1982 AD) made this famous statement while explaining the nature of writing history. According to him, history is not static; rather, it is an ongoing conversation between the past and present perspectives.
Key Points
- > E. H. Carr was an eminent British historian and international relations scholar.
- > His famous book 'What is History?' (1961) is a seminal work in historiography.
- > His lifespan extended from 1892 to 1982 AD.
- > He believed that historical facts do not speak for themselves; historians make them speak.
- > He termed the merging of past facts with the present historian's perspective as 'interaction'.
- > According to him, completely objective history is almost impossible due to the influence of the historian's own time.
- > For this reason, he described history as an 'unending dialogue between past and present'.
Additional Information
E. H. Carr's Historiography
| Aspect | Carr's View | Traditional View (e.g., Ranke) |
|---|---|---|
| Role of Facts | Historians select the facts | Facts speak for themselves |
| Influence of Present | Integral part of history writing | Should be eliminated |
| Objectivity | Relative | Absolute objectivity is possible |
| Definition | Unending dialogue | As it actually was |
Memory Tips
- Continuous process / dialogue = Carr (Starts with C).