History can be used to make sure mistakes aren’t repeated.

In “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, Edward Gibbon describes in 7 books how the Roman Empire met its ultimate demise. Political, economical, social and environmental reasons contributed to the fall of the greatest empire of ancient times.

Surely, the Empire was convinced of its stability, and sure that it could never fall. The short-sightedness of its leaders led to problems piling up, and the entire Empire didn’t realize its life was crumbling around itself.