While in my school days, history was a subject that I always found to be interesting. History is cyclic. It repeats itself ever so often. The oft-quoted phrase that history repeats itself is profound, if one takes the time and effort to read and see the striking similarities between past and present civilisations, leaders and events.

Take for example the fall of great civilisations, like China to the marauding Western powers, or the British Empire, to the changes in society and world politics and of course, the fall and ultimate demise of the South and Central American civilisations. All were victims of their own pride.

All were in their heyday, mighty empires that were proud of their wealth and culture, often considering other weaker societies to be inferior to themselves and never seeking to move forward. In losing thehunger to improve, in cultivating pride not in their works but in their monuments and conceived success, these civilisations were in fact laying the foundation for their ultimate demise.

When the Chinese emperor decided that China was the centre of the universe, he took the decision to burn his naval fleet. At that time, China was sending its fleets out across the China seas to Africa while the Caucasians were still coming to grips with fire and metal. We all know where this ' China Boleh! ' (China can do it) attitude got the Chinese, especially when the British arrived to fight their wars with opium-addicted Qing troops.

What about the leaders then? Well, the most relevant history lesson for leaders is that history almost always unearths the truth. When Hitler was driving his crowds into dementia with his racist remarks, the majority of Germany was probably all up in arms with their Germany Boleh! and German Action Front rhetoric. Eventually, history prevailed and today, except for a very minor segment of German society, most Germans shy away in guilt from the very mention of Nazism and the moustachioed one. The people returned to their senses and good, humane nature prevailed.

Where does this apply to our present day situation? Go figure.

Whatever your conclusion may be, let's remember that we are all Malaysians, regardless of whether we are brown, yellow, black or occasionally purple.

Mahathir was right when he said that we are continually in danger of being recolonialised. The colonialists this time, however, may not be the Caucasians, but those who chose to exploit the weakness of a society that is increasingly proud of nothing and leaders who care more for their bank balances than for the country.