ConClusion/Consilium 593to the ruling class—vast numbers of the people rose up in protest. That they
did not restructure America or create a different country is not an example of
failure, but a sign of their dedication to make a new country, in their minds a
better world, and the awesome forces against them in their struggles.
And out of it all comes consilium. The famed novelist George Orwell wrote
that “he who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the pres-
ent controls the past.” Orwell’s words are powerful and prophetic. The
people who write books about history often provide the “official” story, a
narrative of triumph and progress, and even when they discuss the struggles
of the people, it is done within that conventional story—the people rose up
and rebelled at times and even if they did not gain reform, they demonstrated
their freedom to protest in a democratic society. But that official story is not
simply limited to history lessons. It has far greater meaning; it is about the
history of American society. Those who have the power to teach about the
past can do so in a way to make Americans believe in the goodness and intel-
ligence of the decisions made by “great men” and thus remain passive with
the comfort that such decisions were done in the best interests of all. And
those who have the ability to provide the narrative in the present, the ruling
class, can control that past to make sure that the historical lessons we get
validate their influence and power. American Power, American People took a dif-
ferent approach, and hopefully the reader has discovered a history too often
untold, a past full of class power and popular anger, a legacy of protest and
change in the name of the people amid the force often used by those in power.
A knowledge of history, by itself, will not change the world, feed the hun-
gry, give comfort to the poor; it is but a first step in becoming aware of the
reality of the past. And even then it offers no guarantee of inspiring people
to make such changes. The process of history can be bleak. Bertolt Brecht, a
refugee from Nazi Germany and brilliant poet, wrote about the importance,
and shortcomings of learning history in “To Those Born Later.” “Truly, I live
in dark times/Naïve words are dangerous/A forehead without wrinkles indi-
cates a lack of sensitivity/One who laughs just hasn’t received/The dreadful
news.” Brecht’s sense of the past is indeed sad, maybe desolate, but he still
sees a profound need to learn it, understand it, if only to keep that historical
process going, to teach others of that past and maybe someday make those
changes, and appreciate the history and those who told it. “But you, when
the time comes/When a human being is a helper to human beings/Please