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Article: It could have been different
- Article from:
- The Independent (London, England)
- Article date:
- August 20, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 1995 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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HERE is a question that A-level students of European history
may be asked 25 years from now: "How far did the policies of
President Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia contribute to the outbreak
of the wars of the Yugoslav succession?" And here is another: "How
far was Poland's peaceful transition from Communism to democracy
attributable to the political skills of Lech Walesa?"
As any history student will tell you, every "how far" question
conceals a bigger question beneath. In the above examples, the
hidden questions are "What caused the Yugoslav wars?" and "What
caused Poland to move peacefully from Communism to democracy?" The
examiner wants a discussion of all the causes, with special
emphasis ...