Without knowing the past there is no future
04.09.2013 1376

Man cannot exist in society without knowing the history of his country. Absolute isolation form the world and the lack of knowledge about other countries also do not contribute to the integration of the young citizen in society.

History intense related with other public, social-humanitarian sciences, which link with other different aspects of human society. However, neither philosophy nor sociology, political science, law and economy, like other sciences, unable to cover the development of human society as a whole.

It would seem obvious, but in the meantime reforms in higher education has led to the fact that some universities of the country rushed to the chair of history combine with public departments, reducing the teaching of one of the most important disciplines to naught. Today in high school are increasingly being implemented entrepreneurial approach faces the tasks of commercialization of research scientists. All this corresponds to the spirit of the time, but it is in any case should not deal with cuts in the humanities, including history. As «savings» in the teaching of history can effect on the outlook of the younger generation.

I teach many years at universities, and in my own experience convinced that we have a good youth, which need a help with identification of ideological attitudes.
Teaching of genuine history in this respect has important value. It gives the opportunity to study the development of human civilization from the very begging, learn the customs and traditions of the native people and different nationalities around the world. Thanks to history people develop their sense of patriotism. There is an understanding of the processes occurred in the country. Moreover, history of the home region and home country is more important than the world’s history.

That is why the State Secretary Marat Tazhin set the tasks for historians to develop a general concept of the history of Kazakhstan, which should be closely linked with world history and clearly show the place of Kazakhstan in the global historical process, its relationship and scientific periodization. University scientists have a special role in this issue, to be mentors for young Kazakhstan’s people, conductors and public policy.

Today, there is a necessity of intervention of the President, Government in order to give the history of Kazakhstan special status like university’s discipline. However, this step does not solve teaching issues at universities immediately.

It is particularly important to increase the amount of time spent on the development of the modern history of Kazakhstan. However, in the college environment there are proposals to create a department of contemporary history of Kazakhstan. Why? I personally do not see the point. There are departments, and they could easily cope with this task, having a solid human resources and professional experience. Is not it better to send the released funds for the preparation of a new textbook on the history of Kazakhstan, the need for which is long overdue. It is better to send the released funds for the preparation of a new textbook on the history of Kazakhstan, the need for which arose a long time ago.
Recently, a lot of history books written by competent authors. They are valuable primarily due to the fact that they give a completely different approach to history, have a great look at a lot of things from the familiar to us. However, the price of these books is too high that which make them unaffordable for teachers with their small salary, not to mention the students. Many young people are interested in history, but this scientific quench hunger is not always able to. The task of university community is to convey to the younger generation historical reality without distorting, using modern information sources, including the Internet.

Telling about the historical department, there is a very important issue, in my opinion. Too many people deal with history. There is flow of literatures, which in some cases do not have any common with genuine history. But these books are read by somebody, someone thinking over them and even made conclusions. I think that all the historical literature should be reviewed by well-known and recognized historians.

Thanks to personal initiative of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, vast historical materials in has accumulated our country, which allows local historians to recreate the true picture of past events. The President has repeatedly urges historians to conduct fundamental research, trying to gather the crumbs of written sources, artifacts resulting from archaeological research, to analyze all of the collected materials to better display the country’s past.

History of Kazakhstan it is not just a part of world history. This is the story of the Great Steppe, which had a great influence on the development of the Eurasian continent. This is the place where, as in a large pot

History of Kazakhstan — is not just a part of world history. This is the story of the Great Steppe, which had a great influence on the development of the Eurasian continent.

This is the place where was made not only the history of the Kazakhs, but formed life and other peoples of Europe and Asia. This science does not tolerate misrepresentation, fraud and false conclusions. In the end, it put everything in its place and will give a correct estimate of this or that facts and events.

Being the part of social-humanitarian science, history studies past of human society in all its aspects. Without knowing it, we cannot understand the present and future prospects. There is a well-known expression that in the world there is only one science, and this science is history, which is relevant today.


translated by  I.KUZMENKO

June 5, 2014