"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

While your friend surely remembers the past, it appears he is ignorant of predicable cause and effect. Therefore, is why we're doomed to repeat history.

There is nothing wrong with trying to achieve the same goal over and over again, but if using the same methods always fails, to reach your goals you must do one of two things:

1. Change the goal
2. Change the approach

Considering Socialism I'd pick the former, but that's not my decision to make.