I’ve always liked Winston Churchill. You may have disagreed with him or disliked him or even opposed him, but you had to respect him. A cultured man, a cultivated man, a wise man, a useful, pragmatic man. In his own way, we can say that he was somewhat kin to Benjamin Franklin in that he was multiskilled, a statesman politician, extremely literate, a learner and a student of history….the best of the best.

I remember reading a book on favorite books, and in it the History of The Second World War (by Churchill) was cited by several Harvard professors as the most influential  book  on their careers. That’s something.

Some of Winston’s conclusions from studying history:

* Statesmen (not politicians) have 4 qualities:
  – a bedrock of principle 
  – a moral compass
  – a vision
  – an ability to build consensus to achieve the vision

* When you analyze the rise and fall of nations, it is ultimately because of the decision of individuals (not large anonymous social, economic forces)… yes, individuals [ex. specific acts by Bush, Rumsfeld, etc. rather than "forces"]

* The Middle East, often cited as the cradle of civilization, has been the graveyard of countless empires despite both good or bad intentions, and will probably continue to be so. The Romans and so many other peoples have learned that. [ex. Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, etc.]

* Technology and science cannot ultimately save you or free you from history’s lessons. They are not your ultimate salvation. [see the blog post on Nan Huai Chin's book for an apt quote]

* Freedom is not a universally, globally shared value and neither is democracy. However, greed and the desire for power ARE universal.

More wisdom food!