The March of Folly

Foolishness in high places

This is a book about folly. Not just any kind of folly—government folly.

Barbara Tuchman begins by reminding us that folly is a fundamental part of human nature, but nowhere is it more persistent, damaging, and widespread than in government. She chose to write about government folly because its consequences are far greater than individual mistakes. When a person makes a foolish decision, they may lose money or even their life. But when a government makes a foolish decision, it can waste billions, destroy economies, and cost countless lives.

Take, for example, the American War of Independence (1775–1783) and the Vietnam War (1955–1975). Over 70,000 people died in the former, while 2.5 to 3 million perished in the latter. The financial cost was staggering—$60 billion (in today’s value) for the British-American War and over $1 trillion for the Vietnam War. And for what? Folly. The march of folly.

What did Britain gain from the war against its American colonies? Nothing.

What did America gain from its war in Vietnam? Nothing. It lost money, credibility, and millions of lives.

In The March of Folly, Tuchman examines four major historical follies:

1. The Fall of Troy – The Trojans dragged the wooden horse into their city, sealing their fate.

2. The Renaissance Papacy – The corrupt excesses of the 15th and 16th-century popes led directly to the Protestant Reformation and weakened the Catholic Church.

3. The British-American War – Britain, against better judgment, fought a war it had no business fighting, ultimately losing its most valuable colony.

4. The Vietnam War – The most horrifying and shameful example, where the U.S. ignored all warnings and blindly followed France into a war it could never win.

Through deep historical research and sharp analysis, Tuchman demonstrates how each of these disasters was born out of folly, sustained by folly, and ended in folly.

The Renaissance popes pursued policies against their own interests, against the interests of the Church, and against the advice of those closest to them. Reform was a loud demand even in the 14th century, and within the papacy itself, many called for change. Yet, not a single pope had the courage to act. The result? The Reformation. The Catholic Church was forever weakened, all because its leaders refused to heed the warnings.

Britain made the same mistake with the American colonies. Many voices within the government itself warned that war was the wrong path. But arrogance and stubbornness led Britain to fight an unwinnable war. The worst part? The American Revolution set the stage for the collapse of the rest of the British Empire in the following centuries.

And then there’s America in Vietnam. My God. This was the most horrifying and shameful of all. Shame on America. Every president and policymaker involved in that war deserved to be held accountable. There was no justifiable reason for America to be in Vietnam. Not one. And to make it worse, France was the one that led them there.

Guess what? France left. And then, not long after, even France itself told America there was nothing to gain there. Charles de Gaulle, the architect of post-war France—the same man who lobbied America to support the French in Vietnam in the first place—later told the U.S. to get out. They wouldn’t listen. The wooden-headed policymakers kept marching forward.

It’s easy to say, “In hindsight, we are all wiser.” But that’s not the case here. Even at the time, many people saw the foolishness for what it was. And yet, successive governments doubled down, pursuing self-destructive policies that led to war, death, and ruin.
There’s one final truth about government folly: no one is ever truly held accountable. Bad policies destroy nations, but the worst that happens to those responsible is that they lose an election. That’s it. This is why citizens must always remain skeptical of government actions—because left unchecked, folly will repeat itself.

This book was brilliant. Now I see why Barbara Tuchman is one of the most respected historians. The March of Folly is worth reading—not just as a history lesson, but as a warning. Folly is not just in the past. It is happening today, all around us. The question is: will we recognize it before it’s too late?-