Define History Repeating Itself Meaning

History Repeating Itself
(n.) Any unfortunate event that closely resembles a prior one, that could have been avoided had people payed attention to history.

The Conservative governments' idea to re-introduce poll tax in the 80s was history repeating itself, as the peasants revolted as they did over 600 years before. Only now, they had workers' unions and a mortgage.
By Riane