--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: History is too important to be left to…" description: "\"History is too important to be left to the historians.\" — Robert Harris" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/868/robert-harris-2039_historian_history-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-t_2861692.png" --- # History is too important to be left to the historians. ![“History is too important to be left to the historians.” quote by Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/868/robert-harris-2039_historian_history-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-t_2861692.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/868/robert-harris-2039_historian_history-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-t_2861692.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/868/robert-harris-2039_historian_history-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-t_2861692.png) > “History is too important to be left to the historians.” [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. History must be understood by everyone, not just experts, to inform civic life. **In simple terms:** History belongs to all people. Key Takeaway Learn and share history. Themes civic engagement education historical awareness Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - schools - community discussions - media analysis Key Concepts democracy public knowledge Questions to Reflect On - How can we make history accessible? - What responsibilities do we have to learn history? A Different Perspective History can be misinterpreted without expertise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Historian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historian/) [Historians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historians/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-important/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-left-391155/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Left Historians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-historians-3865209/) ## Related quotes > [Some things are too important to be left to the private sector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-galloway/some-things-are-too-important-to-be-left-to-the-private-sector/) [George Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-galloway/) > [Design is too important to be left to designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-loewy/design-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-designers/) [Raymond Loewy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-loewy/) > [Never forget that music is too important to be left entirely in the hands of professionals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/never-forget-that-music-is-too-important-to-be-left-entirely-in-the/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [Democracy is too important to be left to politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-may/democracy-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-politicians/) [Elizabeth May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-may/) > [Government is too big and important to be left to the politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bowles/government-is-too-big-and-important-to-be-left-to-the-politicians/) [Chester Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bowles/) > [“War is too important to be left to the generals”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-clemenceau/war-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-the-generals/) [Georges Clemenceau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-clemenceau/) > [Law..is too important to be left to the lawyers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-friedman/law-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-the-lawyers/) [Lawrence M. Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-friedman/) > [Government is too big and too important to be left to the politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bowles/government-is-too-big-and-too-important-to-be-left-to-the-politicians/) [Chester Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bowles/) > [Democracy is much too important to be left to public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/democracy-is-much-too-important-to-be-left-to-public-opinion/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [Politics is too important to be left to politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-rudman/politics-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-politicians/) [Warren Rudman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-rudman/) > [The issues are too important to be left for the voters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-issues-are-too-important-to-be-left-for-the-voters/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Well goodness knows, goodness knows what historians will write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-downer/well-goodness-knows-goodness-knows-what-historians-will-write/) [Alexander Downer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-downer/) > [Since history has no properly scientific value, its only purpose is educative. And if historians neglect to educate the public, if they fail to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-m-trevelyan/since-history-has-no-properly-scientific-value-its-only-purpose-is/) [G. M. Trevelyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-m-trevelyan/) > [In history as it comes to be written, there is usually some Spirit of the Age which historians can define, but the shape of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-wood-krutch/in-history-as-it-comes-to-be-written-there-is-usually-some-spirit-of/) [Joseph Wood Krutch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-wood-krutch/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) ## More by Robert Harris > [“Men mistook measurement for understanding. And they always had to put themselves at the center of everything. That was their greatest conceit. The earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/men-mistook-measurement-for-understanding-and-they-always-had-to-put/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [If one first gives himself to the Lord, all other giving is easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/if-one-first-gives-himself-to-the-lord-all-other-giving-is-easy/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“He felt more human with his boots on. A man can face the world with something on his feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/he-felt-more-human-with-his-boots-on-a-man-can-face-the-world-with/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [Cicero most reminds me of Harold Wilson. Both men knew how to keep the show on the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/cicero-most-reminds-me-of-harold-wilson-both-men-knew-how-to-keep-the/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [The financial world is at the cutting edge of high technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/the-financial-world-is-at-the-cutting-edge-of-high-technology/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“To choose one's victims, to prepare one's plans minutely, to slake an implacable vengeance, and then to go to bed ... there is nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/to-choose-one-s-victims-to-prepare-one-s-plans-minutely-to-slake-an/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“Nature has granted man no better gift than the shortness of life. The senses grow dull, the limbs are numb, sight, bearing, gait, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/nature-has-granted-man-no-better-gift-than-the-shortness-of-life-the/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“A crock of shit,” Rick had called it. But actually this was worse. Shit, to quote Gore Vidal, has its own integrity. This was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/a-crock-of-shit-rick-had-called-it-but-actually-this-was-worse-shit/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“... unfortunately, freedom alone is not enough, by far. If there is a shortage of bread, a shortage of butter and fats, a shortage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/unfortunately-freedom-alone-is-not-enough-by-far-if-there-is-a/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [It is perseverance, and not genius that takes a man to the top. Rome is full of unrecognized geniuses. Only perseverance enables you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/it-is-perseverance-and-not-genius-that-takes-a-man-to-the-top-rome-is/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“No one can really claim to know politics properly until he has stayed up all night writing a speech for delivery the following day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/no-one-can-really-claim-to-know-politics-properly-until-he-has-stayed/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [People perish. Books are immortal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/people-perish-books-are-immortal/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [Does a name stick because it suits a man or does the man, unconsciously, evolve into his name?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/does-a-name-stick-because-it-suits-a-man-or-does-the-man/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“He glanced around the reading room and closed his eyes, trying to keep hold of the past for a minute longer, a fattening and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/he-glanced-around-the-reading-room-and-closed-his-eyes-trying-to-keep/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [The natural impulse of men is to follow and whoever has the strongest sense of purpose will always dominate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/the-natural-impulse-of-men-is-to-follow-and-whoever-has-the-strongest/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) [Explore all 184 Robert Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) ## More Historian quotes > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [The world's history is a divine poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto, and every man a word. Its strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-world-s-history-is-a-divine-poem-of-which-the-history-of-every/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [“military historian Richard Holmes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-wright/military-historian-richard-holmes/) [Clare Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-wright/) > [In history as it comes to be written, there is usually some Spirit of the Age which historians can define, but the shape of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-wood-krutch/in-history-as-it-comes-to-be-written-there-is-usually-some-spirit-of/) [Joseph Wood Krutch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-wood-krutch/) > [A historian is not always a prophet facing backwards, but a journalist is always someone who afterwards knew everything beforehand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/a-historian-is-not-always-a-prophet-facing-backwards-but-a-journalist/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [The novelist must look on humanity without partiality or prejudice. His sympathy, like that of the historian, must be unbounded, and untainted by sect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldwin-smith/the-novelist-must-look-on-humanity-without-partiality-or-prejudice/) [Goldwin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldwin-smith/) > [The historian amputates reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaetano-salvemini/the-historian-amputates-reality/) [Gaetano Salvemini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaetano-salvemini/) > [The issue of civil rights was too much for the establishment to handle. One of the chapters of history that's least studied by historians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hayden/the-issue-of-civil-rights-was-too-much-for-the-establishment-to/) [Tom Hayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hayden/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“The historian will tell you what happened, the novelist will tell you what it felt like.” E.L. Doctorow”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-historian-will-tell-you-what-happened-the-novelist-will-tell-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If experiments are performed thousands of times at all seasons and in every place without once producing the effects mentioned by your philosophers, poets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/if-experiments-are-performed-thousands-of-times-at-all-seasons-and-in/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [I'm a historian by training and by conviction. And so the thing that has throughout informed my thinking about international relations is history. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/i-m-a-historian-by-training-and-by-conviction-and-so-the-thing-that/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [The footnote would seem to be the smallest detail in a work of history. Yet it carries a large burden of responsibility, testifying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-himmelfarb/the-footnote-would-seem-to-be-the-smallest-detail-in-a-work-of/) [Gertrude Himmelfarb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-himmelfarb/) > [Who says history is stagnant? For a historian, facts do not change; it is the way we look at things, our interpretations, that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/who-says-history-is-stagnant-for-a-historian-facts-do-not-change-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Since history has no properly scientific value, its only purpose is educative. And if historians neglect to educate the public, if they fail to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-m-trevelyan/since-history-has-no-properly-scientific-value-its-only-purpose-is/) [G. M. Trevelyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-m-trevelyan/) [Browse all 920 Historian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "History is too important to be left to the historians.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Harris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/history-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-the-historians/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Historian" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/history-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-the-historians/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/868/robert-harris-2039_historian_history-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-t_2861692.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/868/robert-harris-2039_historian_history-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-t_2861692.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/868/robert-harris-2039_historian_history-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-t_2861692.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“History is too important to be left to the historians.” — Robert Harris", "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": "Robert Harris", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "History is too important to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/history-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-the-historians/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/history-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-the-historians/#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 } } ] } ```