The University of Oxford recently came under fire when ‘RhodesMustFall’ campaigners claimed that the university was complicit in systemic racism for having the statue of Cecil Rhodes on its grounds. Rhodes, the founder of the southern African territory of Rhodesia, was a businessman and mining magnate in the ‘Golden Age of the British Empire’ who used his wealth to pursue his dream of expanding the British Empire into new territories. Like many historical figures, he is known to have held unacceptable views - in his case, about race.

However, this is not just about a statue or one man. It is part of the increasingly prevalent modern trend of attempting to sterilise history. Rather than seeking to fight memories and recollections of certain historic events, wouldn’t we do better to improve our own world? Remembering the mistakes of our predecessors, however distressing, should be treated as a learning exercise to ensure we do not fall into the same errors.

Furthermore, if we seek to project our modern-day sensibilities into history, what will be left of our world? Using the same logic as ‘RhodesMustFall’, surely the United States of America should be dismantled as it owes its existence to the abuse natives suffered under the pretext of ‘Manifest Destiny’. Perhaps you could argue that our very own British Parliament should be abolished for neglecting for so long the demands of the Suffragettes, some of whom even took their own lives in the struggle for equality. Maybe we should stop praising British efforts to overcome totalitarianism and fascism in the Second World War, since some of the same celebrated leaders still believed in maintaining the Empire, claiming that it improved the lives of colonial subjects.

Rather ironically, by revisiting the past and seeking to ‘cleanse’ it in accordance with modern standards, one can inadvertently perpetuate old ideas and views instead of progressing beyond them. In the recent past, there have been increasing demands for the United Kingdom to pay reparations to its former colonies, including India, for hindering their future efforts at socio-economic development. This is despite the fact that India is a rapidly emerging world economy, alongside other countries which experienced colonisation, such as Brazil and China. Last year, India was the world’s fastest growing economy, and according to many GDP rankings, it is not far from surpassing its former coloniser. Whatever impediment colonialism placed on India, it is clear that today the country is making great strides on the world stage. By integrating into the global economy and developing its service, agricultural and technological sectors, India has shown the good that can be achieved when one looks to the future rather than making assumptions of historical disadvantage.

When assessing historical figures, we must look both honestly and maturely at their legacies. This means not only appreciating the good they achieved but also learning how to avoid the errors they made. The temptation to judge critically those who lived in the past by modern standards leads only to unfair conclusions. Such assessment distorts recollections of the past, and places us on an unhelpful triumphalist pedestal. The study of the past with one eye upon the present is, as Herbert Butterfield wrote in 1931, “the essence of what we mean by the word ‘unhistorical’”.

For example, the grace with which Nelson Mandela emerged after 27 years’ imprisonment, without any hint of taking revenge on those who upheld the apartheid order, is rightly celebrated. His commitment to peace and racial reconciliation, in light of all his suffering, is commendable. In fact, rather relevant to this current debate, in 2003 he partnered with the Rhodes Trust to inaugurate the Mandela Rhodes Foundation, which provides scholarships to African citizens. Instead of dwelling upon the problematic past, Mandela sought to use the Rhodes legacy for the greater good.

Rather than pour salt on the sore wounds of the past, our time would be much better spent in helping to alleviate the suffering of the people in today’s world. Slavery, for example, only became a crime in Mauritania as recently as 2007. One in nine people around the world suffer from chronic undernourishment. Around 60 million children of primary school age are not in school while over 700 million adults do not have even the basic literacy skills which would help to improve their quality of life and that of their children. The surge of migrants entering Europe is indicative of many more widespread, complex problems.

The need for closure and the wish to right the many wrongs of the past are important. But it would surely be better if we sought to change the world around us - a realm in which, unlike the past, we have the agency to make a difference.