"History is little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind." ― Edward Gibbon Topic(s): History More From Edward Gibbon "Their poverty secured their freedom, since our desires and our possessions are the strongest fetters of despotism." "But the power of instruction is seldom of much efficacy, except in those happy dispositions where it is almost superfluous." "History is indeed little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind." More In History "There’s always a part of your nation’s history that you haven’t been told that… has a powerful impact on how you yourself may behave and may believe."― Barbara Kingsolver "Inflation is bringing us true democracy. For the first time in history, luxuries and necessities are selling at the same price."― Robert Orben "The broadest pattern of history – namely, the differences between human societies on different continents – seems to me to be attributable to differences among continental environments, and not to biological differences among peoples themselves."― Jared Diamond