Quote of the day by Amitav Ghosh: ‘To use the past to justify the present is bad enough, but…’
“To use the past to justify the present is bad enough—but it's just as bad to use the present to justify the past.” — Amitav
“To use the past to justify the present is bad enough—but it's just as bad to use the present to justify the past.” — Amitav Ghosh LiveMint's quote of the day by Padma Shri novelist Amitav Ghosh is a warning about the danger of manipulating history to fit a convenient narrative. It breaks down the two most common ways people, and particularly empires, governments, or conquerors, twist time to excuse bad behaviour. How does the quote mean? “To use the past to justify the present is bad enough...”: This refers to the act of digging up historical events, old grievances, or "traditions" to excuse actions happening right now. It is often used to justify modern conflicts ("We are attacking them today because their ancestors conquered our land 500 years ago") or to uphold systemic inequalities ("This is how our society has operated for centuries, so we shouldn't change it now"). It traps society in a cycle of retribution or outdated dogma, refusing to let the present stand on its own moral merits. “...but it's just as bad to use the present to justify the past.”: This refers to looking at a currently favourable situation and using it to excuse the historical atrocities or exploitation that led up to it.
It is the historical equivalent of saying “the ends justify the means.” This is a common defence of colonialism or conquest. An empire might say, "Yes, we invaded, stripped this country of its resources, and oppressed its people, but look at the modern railways, legal systems, and economic development they have today as a result!" It suggested that human suffering, violence, or injustice is acceptable as long as the eventual outcome looks positive to those in power today. It strips the victims of the past of their right to justice. The quote asks the reader to look at actions and events objectively. A wrong committed today cannot be excused by a history book, and a wrong committed in the past cannot be scrubbed clean just because the modern world turned out all right. How is it relevant today? Amitav Ghosh’s quote remains profoundly relevant today, as both political leaders and societies continuously weaponise history to shape modern narratives. The dual warnings in his quote map directly onto several major contemporary global issues. “Using the past to justify the present...”: This is frequently seen in modern geopolitics, where historical grievances are resurrected to excuse contemporary aggression or systemic discrimination. Many modern wars and border disputes are fueled by leaders pointing to ancient maps, historical empires, or past conquests to justify invading sovereign nations today.
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