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Title: The March of Folly : From Troy to Vietnam by Barbara W. Tuchman ISBN: 0-345-30823-9 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 12 February, 1985 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.04 (27 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Democracy and Folly
Comment: The basic point of "The March of Folly" is that nations can be as irrational and dysfunctional at a policy level as individuals are in managing their own affairs. To this end she cites the Trojans (in their war with Greece, and particularly in bringing the horse into their city against the dictates of caution and prophecy), the Renaissance popes, England's handling of her American colonies, and US involvement in Vietnam. The book was written in the context of the arms race with the Soviet Union just prior to Perestroika (I hope I spelled that correctly), with the hardly tacit implication that this was the Great Folly of that time.
Tuchman's definition of Folly is very precise. It's much more specific than simply "a really stupid thing to do".
"To qualify as folly for this inquiry, the policy adopted must meet three criteria: it must have been perceived as counter-productive in its own time, not merely by hindsight. ... Secondly a feasible alternative course of action must have been available. ... third ... the policy in question should be that of a group, not an individual leader."
These are quite exacting criteria. The first means that there must have been a reasoned outcry against the policy at the time. The second that reasonable alternatives were put forward. And the last that the whims of individual fools are discounted.
It's easy to look at government policies in today's world of which one might disapprove (let us suppose that, as for several other reviewers, the war in Iraq springs to mind here) and, on the assumption that they will fail, mark them as follies, but it seems to me that in any reasonably free or democratic society, there will always be arguments that a policy is "counter-productive", and many "feasible alternatives" (such as doing nothing) tabled. As such, almost any failed policy of a modern democracy will qualify as folly by Tuchman's definition.
For democracies, it seems that to qualify as folly a policy should have nearly overwhelming public support (rather than merely being pursued by a group) at least at its inception. The war in Iraq is still a wildly popular one, and so it would qualify as folly even under this criterion. Of course, it still has to fail.
Rating: 5
Summary: HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF
Comment: As the old adage goes, those who refuse to learn history are doomed to repeat it. The March of Folly brings this message back to the forefront and although written in 1984 is as cogent a read as ever.
Barbara W. Tuchman eloquently discusses the bizarre propensity of governments throughout history to pursue policies contrary to their own interests. Mind you, this is not a pacifist book but rather one that begs governments to beware of the reckless pursuit of policy that might prove to be dangerous. And, yes, I admit right readily that hindsight is 20-20.
Beginning with the Trojans and their acceptance of the Trojan Horse to benighted Papal policy during the renaissance to Britain's stupidity during the American Revolution to questionable American policy during the Vietnam war, The March of Folly invites the reader to consider the fact that as things change in historic chronology apparently nothing else does.
Given our current war policies and efforts in Iraq, The March of Folly is a very poignant read and we must confess, regardless of our political leanings, that the potential for history to repeat itself yet again is considerable. Who knows, there may yet be a sequel titled The March Continues.
Rating: 2
Summary: Literature or a Study of History
Comment: In her work The March of Folley, Barbara Tuchman pursues several well known examples of misgovernment through folly in order to prove that governments purse "policies contrary to their own self-interests". In the first chapter she defines folly; "To qualify as folly for this inquiry, the policy adopted must meet three criteria: it must have been perceived as counter-productive in it's own time, not merely by hindsight... A feasible alternative course of action must have been available... The policy in question should be that of a group, not an individual ruler, and should persist beyond any one political lifetime". These criteria would have served primarily as self-imposed constraints on Tuchman to ensure the historical validity of her work. Unfortunately, Tuchman has no problems bending her own rules in order to identify herself with her readers and their paychecks.
I gave it 2 stars because of the detail that Tuchman goes to to get her point across and because she is obviously a talented literary writer, but her motivation to hammer every event that she has listed as catastrophic folly into the mind of the reader often leads her to rash conclusions (such as an awkard analogy to the American Civil war on p. 323) and a disregard for anything that might change the readers' opinions from her focus: folly. Therefore the book is closeminded and biased, but in a decievingly 'open-minded' manner.
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Title: Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman ISBN: 034538623X Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 08 March, 1994 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: Bible and Sword : England and Palestine from the Bronze Age to Balfour by Barbara W. Tuchman ISBN: 0345314271 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 12 February, 1984 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: Proud Tower by Barbara W. Tuchman ISBN: 0345405013 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 27 August, 1996 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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Title: Seize the American Dream: 10 Entrepreneurial Success Strategies by Jim H. Houtz, Kathy Heasley ISBN: 0971701202 Publisher: JaGrand Pub. Date: September, 2002 List Price(USD): $18.00 |
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Title: Zimmermann Telegram by Barbara W. Tuchman ISBN: 0345324250 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 12 March, 1985 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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