Historical Figures

Persons who made a distinct imprint on the development of history had an outstanding influence on the development of the history of society in their action. Man is the subject of society, and in the process of development of the history of human society, each person plays a greater or lesser, good or bad part. Individuals can be distinguished into ordinary individuals and historical figures according to the magnitude of the part they play in influencing history. Historical figures are parties to historical events; they leave a distinct imprint of their will on the course of history and can influence the external feature of historical events. Depending on the nature of their influence on history, historical figures can be distinguished into progressive or outstanding historical figures and reactionary historical figures. Outstanding figures are historical figures who are capable to reflect the requirements of the development of the epoch, represent the fundamental interests of progressive classes, and play a significant role as levers for the development of the history of society. Among outstanding figures, there are not only outstanding statesmen, economists, military officials and social activists, but also outstanding thinkers, scientists, writers and artists. Outstanding politicians are generally referred to as leaders. According to Lenin, the leaders of the proletariat are a more or less stable group composed of the most authoritative, influential and experienced members, who are elected to the most responsible positions, and are called leaders. Reactionary figures are historical figures who represent the interests of the decadent and declining classes and act as a fetter upon the development of the history of society.

On the premise of affirming that the masses are the creators of history, historical materialism also acknowledges the role of the individual in history, and holds that individuals, especially historical figures, can play a role in accelerating or retarding the course of history. Historical figures are the initiators of historical tasks, the organizers and leaders of the realization of certain historical tasks, and they play a certain role in the course of history. Of course, this role, no matter how big or small, cannot determine the general trend of historical development, nor can it be the decisive force of social development. In the course of development of the history of society, the role of outstanding figures and the masses complement each other. On the one hand, as long as outstanding figures correctly grasp the trends, conditions and laws of social development, correctly concentrate the wisdom of the masses, summarize their experience and reflect their needs, they will be able to guide and lead the masses to change nature and make history more effectively. The masses need outstanding figures, especially their own leaders. On the other hand, outstanding figures cannot be detached from the masses and must rely on the masses to play their role, and their progressive role in history must be embodied in, and in agreement with, the decisive part played by the masses in history.

Historical figures arise under certain historical conditions and they are the inevitable requirement of historical development. The objective requirements of the development of the history of society call for the emergence of corresponding historical figures, which embodies historical necessity. However, the emergence of a concrete historical figure is accidental, and any historical figure has the features of the epoch in which he or she lived. “The times creates their heroes”, the times call for their heroes, the times steel their heroes, and the times select their heroes. Marx pointed out that, as Helvétius said, every social epoch needs its great men, and if it does not find them it creates them. Moreover, any historical figure has its historical nature, its historical limitations and class limitations. The role played by outstanding figures in history cannot exceed the limits of the historical conditions in which it lives, and is subject to the interests and will of the class to which it belongs. The principle of Marxist evaluation of historical figures is the scientific attitude of historical materialism and the method of class analysis, i.e., to place historical figures in the conditions of the historical epoch, to make a concrete historical examination of their merits and demerits in the light of the historical conditions of the time, and to evaluate historical figures in connection with the class to which they belong.

From the basic viewpoint that social being determines social consciousness, historical materialism not only affirms the decisive part played by the masses in history, but also attaches importance to the role of the individual, especially outstanding figures in history. Historical idealism, on the other hand, starts out from the basic view that social consciousness determines social being, exaggerates the part played by individual figures in history, holds that history is determined by the will of a few “heroes” and “men of genius”, and denies or undermines the role the masses in history, which goes against objective facts.