“In the abstract world of American economists, equations run both ways; they believe that by changing the sign of a variable from plus to minus or from minus to plus or the price and quantity of x or y, the direction of historical movement can be reversed.” WorldWayBelieveRunningMovementHistoricalAbstractPlusQuantityEconomistEquationsVariablesMinus Book:The Political Economy of International Relations Source: The Political Economy of International Relations
“In these days the invention of printing, and the diffusion of knowledge, render historical calumnies a little less dangerous: truth will always prevail in the long run, but how slow its progress!” LittlesLongRunningNationsProgressDangerousHistoricalInventionThese DaysLong RunsPrintingCalumnyDiffusion Author:Napoleon Bonaparte
“What I am against is false optimism: the notion either that things have to go well, or else that they tend to, or else that the default condition of historical trajectories is characteristically beneficial in the long-run.” WellsLongRunningConditionsOptimismHistoricalNotionLong RunsBeneficialDefaultTrajectory Author:Tony Judt