Whig Interpretation of History

The Whig Interpretation of History is a concept in historiography that is too present-oriented when dealing with the past. It characterized many historians, such as Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1859). They saw British history as the inevitable unfolding of progress, especially liberty and parliamentary rule, with the inexorable defeat of Toryism and absolute monarchy. 20th century historians took a much more nuanced approach and dropped the notion of inevitable progress. They now warn against looking at the past as a simple pathway to the present, insisting there were always multiple contingencies along the way.

Further reading

• Butterfield, Herbert. The Whig interpretation of history (1931)online