The problem with history is the lessons are long, complicated and easily tainted by the historian's bias.
And, interestingly, in politics people tend to look into history for grievances rather than looking for what works. One of the interesting trends that characterises China's current successes is decades of asking "what are other people doing that is working?". That seems to make them a little unusual.
I dont think this is true. In politics, they often look for great grand past to return to or they look for myth to inspire people from.
It can be social like "more natural living uncorrupted by artificial modernity" or "when the men were real men and women real women". Or it can be ambitious like past grand project or imperium of good to emulate with grand projects now. It can be any kind of claiming to go into own roots, who we really are. It is often mythologization and idealization of past and past figures in order to push for current goals.
Majority of historical figures quotes are out of context, but still used for contemporary politics. Historical figures are painted as flawless greatest, so that we can take their words and use them for ourselves. All that is politics.
Look at how often politicians quote King - as cynical and out of context as most of it is, it literally represents looking into past for what works.
And, interestingly, in politics people tend to look into history for grievances rather than looking for what works. One of the interesting trends that characterises China's current successes is decades of asking "what are other people doing that is working?". That seems to make them a little unusual.