Nothing is more human than our propensity for self-destruction. We may pride ourselves on believing in our own free will and rational ability, but in reality, human decision-making is an extremely biased process that occurs subconsciously beyond our control.
The outcomes of decisions are often made unconsciously and can produce good results in the short-term, but they also cause us to make irrational choices, which lead to disastrous results in the future.
As a species, we are driven more by a fear of loss than an expectation of gains, a phenomenon that has caused some of the worst decisions we’ve made as a collective.
1. The Decision to Drop Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945)
Eleven days after President Harry Truman issued the Potsdam Declaration, demanding the unconditional surrender of Japan, the first atomic bomb was detonated by America on August 6, 1945, over the city of Hiroshima, where a total of 140,000 lives were lost. A second bomb followed shortly after that on August 9, killing another 50,000 in Nagasaki.
Experts now believe that it wasn’t America but the Soviet Union’s entry into the war against Japan that got it to surrender.
2. The Invasion of Iraq (2003)
On March 20, 2003, the United States, backed by Britain and a coalition of international forces, launched their invasion of Iraq. This was done under the rationalization of saving the world from Saddam Hussein’s stockpile of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
Twenty-one years later, with no WMD ever found, the only thing the war produced was a $2.89 trillion bill and 209,982 civilian deaths.
3. The Holocaust (1941-1945)
The conclusion of the First World War in 1918 set into motion a series of events that would culminate in the genocide of six million Jews.
Germany’s loss in the war, and the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, which forced complete responsibility for the conflict onto Germany, led to a social environment in which the Nazi party and Adolf Hitler thrived.
4. The Transatlantic Slave Trade (16th-19th Centuries)
The Transatlantic Slave Trade is one of the darkest periods in history, with far-reaching implications that continue to this day.
Between 10 and 12 million enslaved Africans were carried across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas from the 16th to the 19th century. This destabilized the African continent, leaving it vulnerable to exploitation and violence.
5. The Partition of India (1947)
The Partition of India in 1947 was the hasty change of political borders brought on by the dissolution of the British Raj. This partitioned the Indian subcontinent into two countries: India and Pakistan.
Over a million deaths due to violent migrations and a hostile atmosphere between India and Pakistan are just some of the residual effects of the partition.
6. The Cultural Revolution in China (1966-1976)
Mao Zedong’s campaign of cultural revolution sought to reform China for the better; instead, it became one of the bloodiest chapters in human history.
In an attempt to restore order to a political and social system that was in upheaval, 1.6 million people died between 1966 and 1969.
7. The Rwandan Genocide (1994)
Nothing highlights our capacity for unabated violence and evil more than the Rwandan Genocide. An estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis were killed in the span of a hundred days by armed Hutu militias.
Experts such as the UN secretary-general at the time, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, believe that as little as 400 international troops would have been enough to stop the genocide from occurring.
8. The Spanish Conquest of the Americas (16th Century)
When Christopher Columbus discovered the Bahamas on October 12, 1492, a dark cloud that still lingers to this day was cast upon the Americas.
The conquest of the American continent effectively ended the Aztec and Inca empires, rewriting the continent’s religious and social landscape.
9. The Decision to Use Chemical Weapons in Warfare (20th Century)
The 20th century will be remembered for many things, least of all the decision by governments to use chemical weapons in warfare and its disastrous effects.
On April 22, 1915, chlorine gas made its debut as the world’s first poison gas employed by the Germans on the Ypres salient.
A million deaths later, and the Geneva Protocol in 1925, chemical warfare is still one of humanity’s most pressing threats.
10. The Trail of Tears (1838 – 1839)
Another chapter in humanity’s dark colonial history is The Trail of Tears, which occurred between 1838 and 1839.
During this period, the Cherokee nation was forcefully evicted by the government from their lands east of the Mississippi River and migrated to present-day Oklahoma.
This resulted in 3,500 deaths, with many of the relocated Indians arriving to their new homeland in chains.
11. The Inaction on Climate Change (20th – 21st Centuries)
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was adopted 30 years ago on May 9, 1992. Since its inception, several countries have made pledges to reduce greenhouse emissions, but none have yet to live up to them.
This inaction is expected to cost the global community 35% of the global GDP by 2080 in mitigation costs.
12. The Prohibition Era in the United States (1920 – 1933)
Organized crime in America owes its genesis to Prohibition, a nationwide ban on the sale and import of alcohol that was in effect from 1920 to 1933.
Prohibition came about from the lobbying efforts of religious civil society groups. This directly contributed to the rise of organized crime, which made fortunes from the illegal distribution and sale of alcohol.
13. The Crusades (11th – 13th Centuries)
The Crusades were the apex of religious wars, organized by Western European Christians at the turn of the 11th century to curtail Muslim powers’ expansion.
Not only did the Crusades result in the death of 1.7 million people, but they are also credited with legitimizing Anti-Semitism and religious intolerance.
14. The Treaty of Versailles (1919)
The Treaty of Versailles was a nadir for Germany that set the stage for the Second World War. It was signed on June 28, 1919, at the end of World War I. It forced Germany to give up its colonies, limit its military capabilities, incur the financial costs of the war, and pay reparations to the Allied countries.
15. The Khmer Rouge Regime in Cambodia (1975-1979)
The Khmer Rouge, under the leadership of Pol Pot, ruled over a communist Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. In the four years that the Khmer Rouge held power, Cambodia was subject to turmoil that resulted in mass executions, forced labor, and the death of 1.5 million people.
16. The Global Financial Crisis (2007-2008)
Unabated greed, reckless financial practices, and regulatory failures merged in 2007 to cause the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of 1930.
Between October 2008 and April 2009, 700,000 jobs were lost in America monthly. Experts believe that appropriate government policies could have prevented the crisis.
17. The Salem Witch Trials (1692)
The intersection of faith and fear lies at the heart of the Salem Witch Trials, which began in 1692, when a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, claimed to have been possessed. They accused several local women of being the cause of this affiliation, labeling them as witches.
This kicked off a wave of hysteria that saw 25 innocent men, women, and children tried and killed as witches.
18. The Decision to Build the Berlin Wall (1961)
The Berlin Wall embodied the political and social divides between eastern and western Europe during the Cold War. It was erected on August 12, 1961, by the East German Volkskammer (“Peoples’ Chamber”) as an attempt to stop the exodus of skilled labor to West Germany that threatened the East’s economy. One hundred ninety-one people would die making the trek to West Germany.
19. The Transatlantic Opium Trade (18th-19th Centuries)
Until the mid-19th century, all the tea consumed in Europe was imported exclusively from China. To secure this tea, the British paid for it with silver bullion; this created a trade imbalance which Britain fixed by illegally and secretly trading for tea with opium.
By 1836, the opium trade reached 30,000 chests per annum, with 10% of the Chinese population becoming addicted to it by the late 19th century. Chinese efforts to curtail this trade resulted in war and the semi-colonization of their land.
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Caitriona Maria is an education writer and founder of TPR Teaching, crafting inspiring pieces that promote the importance of developing new skills. For 7 years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.