--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Historical knowledge is indispensable for…" description: "\"Historical knowledge is indispensable for those who want to build a better world\" — Ludwig von Mises" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/ludwig-von-mises-364_better-world_historical-knowledge-is-indispensable-fo_3234818.png" --- # Historical knowledge is indispensable for those who want… ![“Historical knowledge is indispensable for those who want to build a better world” quote by Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/ludwig-von-mises-364_better-world_historical-knowledge-is-indispensable-fo_3234818.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/ludwig-von-mises-364_better-world_historical-knowledge-is-indispensable-fo_3234818.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/ludwig-von-mises-364_better-world_historical-knowledge-is-indispensable-fo_3234818.png) > “Historical knowledge is indispensable for those who want to build a better world” [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding past events equips us to design policies that improve society. **In simple terms:** History guides better future building. Key Takeaway Study history to inform progress. Themes history policy progress Mood reflective informed Type philosophical political When to use this quote - government planning - education curricula - public debate - urban development Key Concepts economics institutional analysis Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure accurate historical teaching? - What past mistakes are most relevant today? A Different Perspective Historical lessons can be misinterpreted or ignored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-world/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Historical knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical-knowledge/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Eroticism is one of the basic means of self-knowledge, as indispensable as poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/eroticism-is-one-of-the-basic-means-of-self-knowledge-as/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Knowledge is indispensable to Christian life and service. If we do not use the mind that God has given us, we condemn ourselves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/knowledge-is-indispensable-to-christian-life-and-service-if-we-do-not/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [The bases for historical knowledge are not empirical facts but written texts, even if these texts masquerade in the guise of wars or revolutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-bases-for-historical-knowledge-are-not-empirical-facts-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Risk models are a substitute for historical knowledge, because they tend to work with just three years' worth of data. But three years is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-ferguson/risk-models-are-a-substitute-for-historical-knowledge-because-they/) [Niall Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-ferguson/) > [We also learn that this country and the Western world have no monopoly of goodness and truth and scholarship, we begin to appreciate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hope-franklin/we-also-learn-that-this-country-and-the-western-world-have-no/) [John Hope Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hope-franklin/) > [“Men and women who have never lived make finer captives on the printed page, or if they have lived, and are historical, then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/men-and-women-who-have-never-lived-make-finer-captives-on-the-printed/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [A modern theory of knowledge which takes account of the relational as distinct from the merely relative character of all historical knowledge must start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-mannheim/a-modern-theory-of-knowledge-which-takes-account-of-the-relational-as/) [Karl Mannheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-mannheim/) > [The mere notion of photography, when we introduce it into our meditation on the genesis of historical knowledge and its true value, suggests the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/the-mere-notion-of-photography-when-we-introduce-it-into-our/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [Genuine historical knowledge requires nobility of character, a profound understanding of human existence - not detachment and objectivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/genuine-historical-knowledge-requires-nobility-of-character-a/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [All knowledge that is about human society, and not about the natural world, is historical knowledge, and therefore rests upon judgment and interpretation. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/all-knowledge-that-is-about-human-society-and-not-about-the-natural/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [“It does not require much historical knowledge (though it may require a certain historical perspective) to see that many, if not all, of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lukacs/it-does-not-require-much-historical-knowledge-though-it-may-require-a/) [John Lukacs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lukacs/) > [“young people at Western schools and universities have been given the idea of a liberal education, without the substance of historical knowledge. They have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-ferguson/young-people-at-western-schools-and-universities-have-been-given-the/) [Niall Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-ferguson/) > [“Gower is the first English writer to use "history" as an English word. He regularly rhymes the term with "memory," for to his way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-a-peck/gower-is-the-first-english-writer-to-use-history-as-an-english-word/) Russell A. Peck > [“This is the paradox of historical knowledge. Knowledge that does not change behaviour is useless. But knowledge that changes behaviour quickly loses its relevance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/this-is-the-paradox-of-historical-knowledge-knowledge-that-does-not/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [My historical knowledge of the French Revolution is based on 17 viewings of History of the World, Part I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-historical-knowledge-of-the-french-revolution-is-based-on-17/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Ludwig von Mises > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Changes in human conditions are brought about by the pioneering of the cleverest and most energetic men. They take the lead and the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/changes-in-human-conditions-are-brought-about-by-the-pioneering-of/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [During the 2300 years since Plato, very little opposition has been registered to his ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/during-the-2300-years-since-plato-very-little-opposition-has-been/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“How little one is justified in speaking in this connection of "optimism" and "pessimism" and how much the characterization of liberalism as "optimistic" aims…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/how-little-one-is-justified-in-speaking-in-this-connection-of/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Every step by which an individual substitutes concerted action for isolated action results in an immediate and recognizable improvement in his conditions. The advantages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/every-step-by-which-an-individual-substitutes-concerted-action-for/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [The capitalistic social order, therefore, is an economic democracy in the strictest sense of the word. In the last analysis, all decisions are dependent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-capitalistic-social-order-therefore-is-an-economic-democracy-in/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Without calculation, economic activity is impossible. Since under Socialism economic calculation is impossible, under Socialism there can be no economic activity in our sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/without-calculation-economic-activity-is-impossible-since-under/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [There is no kind of freedom and liberty other than the kind which the market economy brings about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/there-is-no-kind-of-freedom-and-liberty-other-than-the-kind-which-the/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Peace and not war is the father of all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/peace-and-not-war-is-the-father-of-all-things/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [What counts alone is the innovator, the dissenter, the harbinger of things unheard of, the man who rejects the traditional standards and aims at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/what-counts-alone-is-the-innovator-the-dissenter-the-harbinger-of/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [In reality no food is valued solely for its nutritive power and no garment or house solely for the protection it affords against cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/in-reality-no-food-is-valued-solely-for-its-nutritive-power-and-no/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [All this talk: the state should do this or that, ultimately means: the police should force consumers to behave otherwise than they would behave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/all-this-talk-the-state-should-do-this-or-that-ultimately-means-the/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [The most successful businessmen were often uneducated when measured by the scholastic standards of the teaching profession. But they were equal to their social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-most-successful-businessmen-were-often-uneducated-when-measured/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Two hundred years ago, before the advent of capitalism, a man's social status was fixed from the beginning to the end of his life;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/two-hundred-years-ago-before-the-advent-of-capitalism-a-man-s-social/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Facts per se can neither prove nor refute anything. Everything is decided by the interpretation and explanation of the facts, by the ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/facts-per-se-can-neither-prove-nor-refute-anything-everything-is/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) [Explore all 637 Ludwig von Mises quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) ## More Better world quotes > [Something must be done to save humanity! A better world is possible!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fidel-castro/something-must-be-done-to-save-humanity-a-better-world-is-possible/) [Fidel Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fidel-castro/) > [One Hundred Year Starship really is about the idea that is we pursue an extraordinary tomorrow; we'll build a better world today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/one-hundred-year-starship-really-is-about-the-idea-that-is-we-pursue/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [The advance of liberty is the path to both a safer and better world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-advance-of-liberty-is-the-path-to-both-a-safer-and-better-world/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [... man has an idea of a better world than this. But better does not mean different, it means unified... Religion or crime, every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/man-has-an-idea-of-a-better-world-than-this-but-better-does-not-mean/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Joseph Ratzinger never developed his own theological system. As a theologian he took on what was there, discerned its essentials, situated it in relation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/joseph-ratzinger-never-developed-his-own-theological-system-as-a/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [How can I create a better world? The more you reflect, the more your life will move into the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/how-can-i-create-a-better-world-the-more-you-reflect-the-more-your/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [This would be a vastly better world to live in if Matt Drudge decided to handle his emotional problems more responsibly, and set himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weigel/this-would-be-a-vastly-better-world-to-live-in-if-matt-drudge-decided/) [David Weigel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-weigel/) > [“Up there, comrades," he would say solemnly, pointing to the sky with his large beak– "up there, just on the other side of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/up-there-comrades-he-would-say-solemnly-pointing-to-the-sky-with-his/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“When I heard Zizek’s statement, I have to admit that I reacted strongly against it. For the first twenty-five years of my adult life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaddhaka-linn/when-i-heard-zizek-s-statement-i-have-to-admit-that-i-reacted/) [Vaddhaka Linn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaddhaka-linn/) > [A better world could be brought about only by better individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/a-better-world-could-be-brought-about-only-by-better-individuals/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [The arts can open the door to the imagination, pushing the envelope of how peace can be created. It takes courage to take this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-shorter/the-arts-can-open-the-door-to-the-imagination-pushing-the-envelope-of/) [Wayne Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-shorter/) > [Socialcam shares Autodesk's mission of helping everybody imagine, design, and create a better world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-seibel/socialcam-shares-autodesk-s-mission-of-helping-everybody-imagine/) [Michael Seibel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-seibel/) > [“We don't have a lot of choice about the world we live in. But we do have choices about our world-view. ... We read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-wade-johnson/we-don-t-have-a-lot-of-choice-about-the-world-we-live-in-but-we-do/) [Kevin Wade Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-wade-johnson/) > [I believe there is another world waiting for us. A better world. And I'll be waiting for you there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/i-believe-there-is-another-world-waiting-for-us-a-better-world-and-i/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [Can we make a better world for our children? I believe we can, if enough people are concerned and get involved in changing what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/can-we-make-a-better-world-for-our-children-i-believe-we-can-if/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) [Browse all 606 Better world quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-world/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Historical knowledge is indispensable for those who want to build a better world", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ludwig von Mises" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/historical-knowledge-is-indispensable-for-those-who-want-to-build-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better world" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/historical-knowledge-is-indispensable-for-those-who-want-to-build-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/ludwig-von-mises-364_better-world_historical-knowledge-is-indispensable-fo_3234818.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/ludwig-von-mises-364_better-world_historical-knowledge-is-indispensable-fo_3234818.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/178/ludwig-von-mises-364_better-world_historical-knowledge-is-indispensable-fo_3234818.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Historical knowledge is indispensable for those who want to build a better world” — Ludwig von Mises", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ludwig von Mises", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Historical knowledge is indispensable for those...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/historical-knowledge-is-indispensable-for-those-who-want-to-build-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/historical-knowledge-is-indispensable-for-those-who-want-to-build-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```