O temă prioritară pentru istoricii secolului XXI: evoluția istorică a capabilității oamenilor de a-și determina existența
A Priority Topic for 21st Century Historians: The Historical Evolution of Peoples’ Capability to Shape Their Own Existence

Summary/Abstract: Starting from the concept of Amartya Sen that freedom from deprivations and the expansion of human agency are the main drivers and ultimate goals of development, the paper argues that historians should focus more on the evolution of the capacity of people to determine their own existence. This request is exemplified by a discussion about the escape from hunger, the increased choice of food resources, the extension of life expectancy at birth and the augmented capacity of the human body (the technophysio revolution). The author argues that such a shift from a history focused on the actions of political agents „from above” towards the systematic investigation of the evolution of human capabilities has the potential to revive the public interest for historical narratives. It will also help people to better perceive modern progress and be more open to change, countering thus the conservative bias of an ageing society.

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