---
product_id: 22421304
title: "The Whig Interpretation of History"
brand: "herbert butterfield"
price: "€ 32.60"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 9
url: https://www.desertcart.nl/products/22421304-the-whig-interpretation-of-history
store_origin: NL
region: Netherlands
---

# The Whig Interpretation of History

**Brand:** herbert butterfield
**Price:** € 32.60
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** The Whig Interpretation of History by herbert butterfield
- **How much does it cost?** € 32.60 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.nl](https://www.desertcart.nl/products/22421304-the-whig-interpretation-of-history)

## Best For

- herbert butterfield enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted herbert butterfield brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

The Whig Interpretation of History

## Images

![The Whig Interpretation of History - Image 1](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41Y95Zi1gjL.jpg)
![The Whig Interpretation of History - Image 2](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51jYhoWiArL.jpg)
![The Whig Interpretation of History - Image 3](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41yVGI89+hL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    AN INFLUENTIAL CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER OF HISTORY
  

*by S***P on Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2013*

Herbert Butterfield (1900-1979) was a British historian and philosopher of history, who also wrote 

  
Christianity and History









  
  
    
   and 

  
The Origins of History









  
  
    
  . He wrote in the Preface to this 1931 book, "The following study deals with 'the whig interpretation of history' in what I conceive to be the accepted meaning of the phrase... What is discussed is the tendency in many historians to write on the side of Protestants and Whigs, to praise revolutions provided they have been successful, and to emphasize certain principles of progress in the past and to produce a story which is the ratification if not the glorification of the present... The subject is treated not as a problem in the philosophy of history, but rather as an aspect of the psychology of historians."He states, "It is part and parcel of the whig interpretation of history that it studies the past with reference to the present... [this] has often been an obstruction to historical understanding..." (Pg. 11) Later, he adds, "The theory behind the whig interpretation---the theory that we study the past for the sake of the present---is one that is really introduced for the purpose of facilitating the abridgement of history." (Pg. 24) He asserts, "the application of this principle must produce in history a bias in favour of the whigs and must fall unfavourably on Catholics and tories." (Pg. 25)He explains, "It is the thesis of this essay that the Protestant and whig interpretation of history is the result of something much more subtle than actual Protestant or party bias... The whig interpretation of history is not merely the property of whigs and it is much more subtle than mental bias; it lies in a trick or organization, an unexamined habit of mind that any historian may fall into... It is the direct result of the practice of abstracting things from their historical context and judging them apart from their context---estimating them and organising the historical story by a system of direct reference to the present." (Pg. 30-31)He argues, "Behind all the fallacies of the whig historian there lies the passionate desire to come to a judgment of values, to make history answer questions and decide issues and to give the historian the last word in a controversy." (Pg. 64-65) He contends, "Above all it is not the role of the historian to come to what might be called judgments of value." (Pg. 73)Butterfield's opinions will delight many, and frustrate others; but they are an important piece of the philosophy of history as it developed in the 20th century.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 







  
  
    Great writing and reading
  

*by J***N on Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2017*

Those who believe in an “arc of history “ must read this salutary corrective, directed toward a “progressivism “ of a different age.

### ⭐⭐ 







  
  
    This Book is Overrated
  

*by N***R on Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2014*

I expected this book to be much longer than the large print and 132 page small size paperback I received.  I bought this book in the hopes that it would be an in-depth chronological narrative of British history that analyzed the Whig point of view and then gave the author's own interpretation of that history.I realize that I should  be reviewing the book the author actually wrote and not the one I wished he had wrote.  With that in mind I would say this book is a philosophical view of historical interpretation.  As a result this book is very short, but since it only a commentary on a particular historical viewpoint, it could have been even shorter.  The author frequently repeats himself and could have made the same points in half the length.  To sum up I was disappointed with this book and recommend you go to Wikipedia to get the gist of it - that would be good enough.

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.nl/products/22421304-the-whig-interpretation-of-history](https://www.desertcart.nl/products/22421304-the-whig-interpretation-of-history)

---

*Product available on Desertcart Netherlands*
*Store origin: NL*
*Last updated: 2026-02-15*