The march of folly

In 'The March of Folly', Barbara W. Tuchman explores the concept of folly in historical contexts, defining it as the pursuit by governments of policies that are clearly contrary to their own interests.

She examines four major cases: the Trojans' decision to bring the Greek horse into their city, the failure of the Renaissance popes to address the factors leading to the Protestant Reformation, England's policies that led to the loss of the American colonies, and the United States' mishandling of the Vietnam War. Tuchman's work highlights the recurring themes of arrogance, ignorance, short-term political calculations, and an inability to recognize when a situation has become hopeless.