If We Could Go Back In Time - Saturday's Core Brief

Changing the arc of history. Series 23 #6

Four civilizations with the potential to change the arc of history, with a little outside help. Tuesday through Friday, examined each candidate against the same seven criteria and found a pattern

They were all on the right track in terms of values. Cyrus believed conquered peoples deserved respect and built an empire that proved it. Ashoka watched 100,000 people die, was completely transformed, and spent the rest of his reign trying to build a more humane world. Taizong understood the value and power of being questioned and different viewpoints and created the most cosmopolitan empire up to that point in history. The early Islamic Caliphate embedded charity, literacy, religious protection, and human dignity into a founding text that spread across the world. Every candidate in this series got the values right.