Quote of the Day by Amitav Ghosh: “Using the past to justify the present is bad enough, but…”

“Using the past to justify the present is bad enough – but it’s just as bad to use the present to justify the past.” — Amitav Ghosh

Padma Shri writer Amitav Ghosh’s LiveMint Quote of the Day is a warning against the dangers of manipulating history to fit a convenient narrative. He discusses two of the most common ways that people, and especially empires, governments, or conquerors, distort time to excuse bad behavior.

Read also | Bruce Lee Quote of the Day: ‘A wise man can learn more from a fool…’

What does the quote mean?

“Using the past to justify the present is bad enough…”: This refers to the act of digging up historical events, old grievances, or “traditions” in order to excuse actions that are happening right now.

It is often used to justify modern conflicts (“We attack them today because their ancestors conquered our land 500 years ago”) or to support systemic inequalities (“This is how our society has worked for centuries, so we shouldn’t change it now”).

It traps society in a cycle of retribution or outdated dogma, refusing to let the present stand on its own moral merits.

“…but it’s just as bad to use the present to justify the past.”: This refers to looking at a currently favorable situation and using it to excuse the historical atrocities or exploitation that led to it. It is the historical equivalent of the saying “the end justifies the means”.

This is a common defense of colonialism or conquest. The Empire might say, “Yes, we invaded, stripped this country of its resources, and oppressed its people, but look at the modern railroads, legal systems, and economic development they have today as a result!”

It suggested that human suffering, violence or injustice is acceptable as long as the end result looks positive for those in power today. It deprives the victims of the past of their right to justice.

The quote asks the reader to look at actions and events objectively. A wrong done today cannot be excused by a history book, and a wrong done in the past cannot be cleaned up just because the modern world turned out well.

Read also | Sandra Bullock Quote of the Day: “Go find your joy. It’s who you are….”

How is it relevant today?

Amitav Ghosh’s quote remains deeply relevant today as both political leaders and societies constantly weaponize history to shape modern narratives. The twin warnings in his quote map directly onto several major current global issues.

“Using the past to justify the present…”: This is often seen in modern geopolitics, where historical grievances are resurrected to excuse current aggression or systemic discrimination.

Many modern wars and border disputes are fueled by leaders pointing to ancient maps, historical empires, or past conquests to justify today’s invasion by sovereign nations. Logic dictates that because a piece of land belonged to a specific group centuries ago, violent military action is somehow justified today.

Political movements often weaponize a sanitized, nostalgic version of the past (the “Golden Age”) to justify the rollback of modern civil rights or opposition to social progress.

In protracted regional conflicts, violence is often justified by pointing to an atrocity committed by the other side decades or even centuries ago, creating an endless loop of retribution where the present can never heal.

“…using the present to justify the past.”: This is very visible in modern debates about historical responsibility, where current economic or social realities are used to excuse or trivialize past atrocities.

There is a global debate about the legacy of empire. Defenders of colonialism often point to modern infrastructure—such as railroads, legal systems, or the spread of English—and argue that imperial rule was ultimately beneficial. This uses the utility of these systems today to cover up the exploitation, violence and wealth extraction of the past.

When marginalized groups (such as indigenous peoples or historically oppressed castes/classes) demand reparations or recognition of past wrongs, a common counterargument is to point to their current legal equality or the success of a few individuals today. This uses the current status quo to argue that past injustices are “fixed” and no longer require accountability.

Multinational corporations, especially those involved in historical environmental degradation or exploitative labor practices, often point to their modern philanthropic efforts, current job creation, or green initiatives to excuse or distract from the underlying damage they have caused in previous decades.

Where did this quote first appear?

This quote is taken from Amitav Ghosh’s historical novel The Glass Palace. The book, first published in 2000, covers more than a century of history in Burma (now Myanmar), India and Malaya.

It is heavily focused on the destructive effects of the British Empire in Asia and how powerful it was.

Read also | Quote of the Day by William Hazlitt: “Life is a constant struggle to be…”

Who is Amitav Ghosh?

Amitav Ghosh is a world-renowned Indian author and intellectual whose work spans historical fiction, science fiction, and nonfiction. Ghosh is celebrated for his intricate, deeply researched stories that weave together history, anthropology and sociology to explore themes of colonialism, migration, personal identity and the global climate crisis.

Notable works of fiction include The Shadow Lines, The Glass Palace, and the Ibis trilogy, while his prominent nonfiction includes The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable.

Ghosh is the recipient of major awards, including the Jnanpith Award (the first English-language writer to receive this award), the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Padma Shri and the Erasmus Prize.