Global Roaming with Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald William Dalrymple: Why we shouldn't tear down statues
Mar 24, 2026
William Dalrymple, historian and co‑host of the Empire podcast, explores how the past shapes the present. He discusses why historical context matters for modern conflicts. He traces India’s cultural and mathematical influence across Asia, including the invention of zero. He recommends relocating contested monuments with context rather than destroying them.
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History Is A Roadmap For Modern Conflicts
- Historical context is essential to understand current conflicts and policymaking.
- William Dalrymple argues ignorance of Palestinian history shaped a negligent Western response to Gaza's mass slaughter over two years.
Ancient Names Don’t Equal Modern Borders
- Modern nation names often don’t match historical polities, so invoking ancient pasts can mislead current politics.
- Dalrymple explains "Bharat" refers to a mythic ancient king and a different territorial idea than present-day India.
Zero Unlocked Modern Mathematics
- The Indian numeral system, especially zero, enabled higher mathematics and global numeric systems.
- Dalrymple credits Aryabhata and his pupil for earth measurements, heliocentric ideas and treating zero as a number, enabling place-value notation.
