Historical determinism is the stance in explaining history or advocating a political position that events are historically predetermined (and/or currently constrained) by various forces. Since such explanation is the norm, it may be better understood in contrast to its negation, i.e. the rejection of historical determinism.
The italicized alternation (and/or) is significant because some political philosophies (e.g. Marxism) assert a form of the one and reject the other. Used as a pejorative, it is normally meant to designate an overdetermination of present possibilities by historical conditions.
Famous quotes containing the words historical and/or determinism:
“Culture is the name for what people are interested in, their thoughts, their models, the books they read and the speeches they hear, their table-talk, gossip, controversies, historical sense and scientific training, the values they appreciate, the quality of life they admire. All communities have a culture. It is the climate of their civilization.”
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974)
“Man is a masterpiece of creation if for no other reason than that, all the weight of evidence for determinism notwithstanding, he believes he has free will.”
—G.C. (Georg Christoph)