Friday 2 September 2011

Reactionary heroes

  • Sulla
    • A general: never lost a battle; the only man in history to have attacked and occupied both Athens and Rome. Twice consul, he became dictator, executed thousands, and neutered the Plebeian tribune, thus preserving the power of the aristocracy and the senate against the people and democracy. He then resigned the dictatorship and was elected consul for the second time.
  • Charles I
    • "For the people.   And truly I desire their liberty and freedom as much as anybody whomsoever.   But I must tell you that their liberty and freedom consists in having of government; those laws by which their life and their goods may be most their own.   It is not for having share in government, Sir, that is nothing pertaining to them.    A subject and a soveraign are clean different things, and therefore until they do that, I mean , that you do put the people in that liberty as I say, certainly they will never enjoy themselves." 
  • Ian Smith
    • "I told you so." Declared independence from the United Kingdom rather than give in to democracy in Rhodesia. Rhodesia was destroyed by sanctions from the International Community, who gave power to Robert Mugabe, who destroyed the country. Life expectancy is now the lowest in the world, having declined from 60 in 1990 to less than 40 now. There are frequent famines in what used to be the "breadbasket of Africa", and Zimbabwe now relies on aid from abroad. This is blamed on "erratic rain". Rhodesia never had "erratic rain" problems.
  • Lee Kuan Yew
    • Singapore remains low tax and regulation through suppression of democracy. 
  • The Duke d'Alba
    • Imposed order and tax by executing thousands. 
  • General Pinochet
    • Imposed low tax and regulation by suppressing democracy.
  • The White Rajahs of Sarawak
    • Ruled a happy, prosperous state for a hundred years until destroyed by the British after World War 2.
  • Porfirio Díaz
    • Ruled a successful, prosperous state until he started to encourage democracy. Under Díaz, Mexico was ahead of the U.S. in learning and the arts.
  • Enoch Powell
    • Eloquent opponent of expansions of democracy. He opposed reform of the House of Lords, which would reduced its power relative to the Commons, and expansion of the electorate whether by the Reform Acts or immigration.
  • Lord Cromer
    • Consul-General of Egypt. Ruled a country of 10 million with 1000 British civil servants and 5000 soldiers, and profitably.

No comments:

Post a Comment