Such events must be political in nature. The author alludes to the utilitarian aspect of monumental history with this quotation.
Of what use, then, is the monumentalistic conception of the past, engagement with the classic and rare of earlier times, to the man of the present? He learns from it that the greatness that once existed was in any event once possible and may thus be possible again; he goes his way with more cheerful step, for the doubt that once assailed him…has now been banished.
The practical use of history, then, is to serve as the inspiration and even in certain instances, the impetus for present action. Such history is "monumentalistic" when it details the lofty achievements of those before. Even if those particular achievements were not political in nature, although a great many of them were, the application of them within contemporary society would...
The progression of the Philosophy of History, then, begins in the rudimentary stages of examining what Nietzsche refers to as monumental history. Examination on its own is not enough, the true progress can be effected by taking action based upon such an examination that has manifold repercussions. Political action fits this category nicely. In that way, the Philosophy of History changes history, and changes the world, which is true progress, or perhaps an evolution of history.
