Category Archives: THEORY OF HISTORY

The Theory of History L. Febvre and M. Bloch

Summary

Smbat Kh. Hovhannisyan

The achievements of the French Historical Movement (School) the “Annales” are obvious. The role of the founders, L. Febvre and M. Bloch, is significant in promoting the research area of the field. The borders of history and other social sciences have been extended, their interactions have been intensified. As a result, traditional (descriptive) history undertook a new mission of structuralizing the basic dimensions of historical time – the features of the past, present and future. Some scholars formulate this achievement as a “revolution in history.”

The crisis of traditional historiography had basic cases at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. It faces the problem of devising new methods of research. In its turn the latter a necessity has a risen to change the borders of history and various fields of the humanities (sociology, social anthropology, politology, geography etc.). Due to this, history, on the one hand, has expended its area of scope, and innovated on the other its research facilities.

Summary

Smbat Kh. Hovhannisyan

In the context of the French Historical Annals School the achievements of the second Generation are significant. This mainly concerns Fernand Braudel in particular (1902-1985). He is famous not only in the framework of the School, but also in the historiography of the XX century.

F. Braudel’s main contribution to the theory of history was the concept of “Universal History.” It was outlined by L. Febvre and M. Bloch as a synthesis of different methods. The concept of “Universal History” is the result of that very approach.

The abovementioned makes it clear that Fernand Braudel’s concept of “Universal History” has a holistic and complex content. At the same time it doesn’t turn into one “true” and “common” interpretation. Braudel’s concept of Universal History combines its different parts into one system. Moreover, their synthesis is various. Some of them have a primary, others a secondary role. Sometimes they tend to change. The concept of “Universal History” is possible as a consequence of the harmonization of the terms “civilization,” “identity,” “mentality,” and “world-economy,” in three-dimensional time. In other words, the concept of “Universal History” is a constant element of Braudel’s understanding of history. They differ in different historical ages and events.