Just finished reading the Fall of Giants by Den Follett. Its a story dipicting events in England and Europe leading up to, events of and the aftermath of WWI. I don't believe the world's leaders have the ability to learn from past mistakes because we keep repeating them.
The book a depicts mine disaster because the mine owner did not spend the money to follow safety regulations and trampled on workers rights on wages, working conditions and housing the mine owned. Tsars, kings and the moneyed said the working class were not able to participate in any governing of decision making. All peoples below their class were relegated to physical work only.
The death of one man permitted the greed for territory to snow ball. Elements of each country wanted to go to war. Cooler heads did not prevail. Tsars were over thrown to be replaced by dictators. There are still a few of them around. Civilians and soldiers die in large numbers. One of the final chapters left us with Hitler in jail in Germany in mid 1920's. And the beat goes on.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Sigh...you are so right.
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