Whiggism

I. Connected to Politics and Great Men

A. Thomas, Lord Macauley--19th century British politician (Whig /Liberal) but also a "whig" historian.

B. Looking at the world and its development

II. Focus is on Progress

A. The "Whig" Historians

B. What is a whig?

1. historical definition

2. historical euphemism ("whiggism")

a. Herbert Butterfield and 20^th-century "professionalized" history

b. Is Whiggism really bad or does Butterfield just have an axe to grind?

C.  How to apply whiggism to history

III. Whiggism is connected to empiricism

1. Claims to have the answer to "what actually happened."
2. Idea that "truth" is out there in some unmediated way that we can find
3. idea that "facts are facts" and there is only one interpretation of them