--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As we know from the study of history, no…" description: "\"As we know from the study of history, no new system can impose itself upon a previous one without incorporating many of the elements to be found in the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e0/margaret-atwood-40_education_as-we-know-from-the-study-of-history-no_1943554.jpg" --- # As we know from the study of history, no new system can… ![“As we know from the study of history, no new system can impose itself upon a previous one without incorporating many of the elements to be found in the latter...” quote by Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e0/margaret-atwood-40_education_as-we-know-from-the-study-of-history-no_1943554.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e0/margaret-atwood-40_education_as-we-know-from-the-study-of-history-no_1943554.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e0/margaret-atwood-40_education_as-we-know-from-the-study-of-history-no_1943554.jpg) > “As we know from the study of history, no new system can impose itself upon a previous one without incorporating many of the elements to be found in the latter...” [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. New systems must absorb elements of older ones to survive and evolve. **In simple terms:** Change builds on the past. Key Takeaway Integrate useful old ideas. Themes change continuity adaptation Mood thoughtful critical Type sociological strategic When to use this quote - organizational change - technological upgrades - policy reform Key Concepts cultural evolution systems theory Questions to Reflect On - What old practices can be retained in reform? - How do we balance tradition and innovation? A Different Perspective Resistance can arise when old elements clash with new goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-new-1118370/) [Incorporating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incorporating/) [Incorporating Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incorporating-elements-2278198/) [Latter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latter/) [Previous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/previous/) [Study](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study/) [Study history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study-history/) [Study Of History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study-of-history/) ## Related quotes > [I really like incorporating elements, and it's also difficult to do in stop motion, which means sometimes I run into problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-lepore/i-really-like-incorporating-elements-and-it-s-also-difficult-to-do-in/) [Kirsten Lepore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-lepore/) > [To a man of liberal education, the study of history is not only useful, and important, but altogether indispensable, and with regard to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/to-a-man-of-liberal-education-the-study-of-history-is-not-only-useful/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The study of history, while it does not endow with prophecy, may indicate lines of probability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/the-study-of-history-while-it-does-not-endow-with-prophecy-may/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I've always been interested in foreign relations. It's my belief that study of history should be our preparation for understanding the present rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-kostova/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-foreign-relations-it-s-my-belief-that/) [Elizabeth Kostova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-kostova/) > [History, we can confidently assert, is useful in the sense that art and music, poetry and flowers, religion and philosophy are useful. Without it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-steele-commager/history-we-can-confidently-assert-is-useful-in-the-sense-that-art-and/) [Henry Steele Commager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-steele-commager/) > [“The rational study of law is still to a large extent the study of history. History must be a part of the study, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr-2/the-rational-study-of-law-is-still-to-a-large-extent-the-study-of/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr-2/) > [The study of history requires investigation, imagination, empathy, and respect. Reverence just doesnt enter into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-lepore/the-study-of-history-requires-investigation-imagination-empathy-and-2/) [Jill Lepore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-lepore/) > [One is astonished in the study of history at the recurrence of the idea that evil must be forgotten, distorted, skimmed over. We must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/one-is-astonished-in-the-study-of-history-at-the-recurrence-of-the/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [The study of history empowers nations and individuals with an ability to avoid errors of the past and lay foundations for victories in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/the-study-of-history-empowers-nations-and-individuals-with-an-ability/) [Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/) > [The study of history is a powerful antidote to contemporary arrogance. It is humbling to discover how many of our glib assumptions, which seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-johnson/the-study-of-history-is-a-powerful-antidote-to-contemporary-arrogance/) [Paul Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-johnson/) > [“The study of history can be sobering and shocking, and morally troubling. One does not have to believe in original sin to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-study-of-history-can-be-sobering-and-shocking-and-morally/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The study of history is the best medicine for a sick mind; for in history you have a record of the infinite variety of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/the-study-of-history-is-the-best-medicine-for-a-sick-mind-for-in/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) > [The study of history requires investigation, imagination, empathy, and respect. Reverence just doesn't enter into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-lepore/the-study-of-history-requires-investigation-imagination-empathy-and/) [Jill Lepore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-lepore/) > [One of the things I know from the study of history is that history surprises you. History is not written. It's not inevitable.The victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/one-of-the-things-i-know-from-the-study-of-history-is-that-history/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [The study of History is the best medicine for a sick mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/livy/the-study-of-history-is-the-best-medicine-for-a-sick-mind/) [Livy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/livy/) ## More by Margaret Atwood > [“I'm fine," said Pilar, "for the moment. And the moment is the only time we can be fine in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-m-fine-said-pilar-for-the-moment-and-the-moment-is-the-only-time-we/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [And yet it disturbs me to learn I have hurt someone unintentionally. 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I am forgetting too much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/it-s-my-fault-i-am-forgetting-too-much/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [All fiction is about people, unless it's about rabbits pretending to be people. It's all essentially characters in action, which means characters moving through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/all-fiction-is-about-people-unless-it-s-about-rabbits-pretending-to/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Simon walks back to the house alone. 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You cannot dictate how people read it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/once-you-publish-a-book-it-is-out-of-your-control-you-cannot-dictate/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“The more difficult it was to love the particular man beside us, the more we believed in Love, abstract and total. We were waiting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/the-more-difficult-it-was-to-love-the-particular-man-beside-us-the/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“She knows she's deceiving herself about that, but she prefers to deceive herself. She desperately needs to believe such pure joy is still possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/she-knows-she-s-deceiving-herself-about-that-but-she-prefers-to/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) [Explore all 2,072 Margaret Atwood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. 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