Most observers – at least in the West – agree that the twenty-first century has been particularly tumultuous. But while some explain the volatility of our times by reference to historical analogies, e.g. moments from the twentieth century such as the interwar years, others claim that we are in a moment of polycrisis for which there is no precedent. In this talk I split the difference: it is wrong to assume the 21st century will resemble the 20th, but there are other historical precedents we can use to better think about our current predicament.