Macheavelli and Iraq

Iraqeavelli... fun word. Useless, but fun.

Anyway... I started reading "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli today. A friend at a Starbucks back in Illinois recommended it, and so I thought I'd give it a read. It's easily one of the most debated books in classic literature, mainly because of its cold and calculating looks at power. How to get it, and how to keep it. It was published in 1532 after his death, but is still incredibly poignant. Here is an excerpt from Chapter III.

"But when states are acquired in a country differing in language,
customs, or laws, there are difficulties, and good fortune and great
energy are needed to hold them, and one of the greatest and most real
helps would be that he who has acquired them should go and reside
there. This would make his position more secure and durable, as it has
made that of the Turk in Greece, who, notwithstanding all the other
measures taken by him for holding that state, if he had not settled
there, would not have been able to keep it. Because, if one is on the
spot, disorders are seen as they spring up, and one can quickly remedy
them; but if one is not at hand, they are heard of only when they are
great, and then one can no longer remedy them. Besides this, the
country is not pillaged by your officials; the subjects are satisfied
by prompt recourse to the prince; thus, wishing to be good, they have
more cause to love him, and wishing to be otherwise, to fear him. He
who would attack that state from the outside must have the utmost
caution; as long as the prince resides there it can only be wrested
from him with the greatest difficulty.

The other and better course is to send colonies to one or two places,
which may be as keys to that state, for it is necessary either to do
this or else to keep there a great number of cavalry and infantry.
A prince does not spend much on colonies, for with little or no expense
he can send them out and keep them there, and he offends a minority
only of the citizens from whom he takes lands and houses to give them
to the new inhabitants; and those whom he offends, remaining poor and
scattered, are never able to injure him; whilst the rest being
uninjured are easily kept quiet, and at the same time are anxious not
to err for fear it should happen to them as it has to those who have
been despoiled. In conclusion, I say that these colonies are not
costly, they are more faithful, they injure less, and the injured, as
has been said, being poor and scattered, cannot hurt. Upon this, one
has to remark that men ought either to be well treated or crushed,
because they can avenge themselves of lighter injuries, of more
serious ones they cannot; therefore the injury that is to be done to a
man ought to be of such a kind that one does not stand in fear of
revenge.

But in maintaining armed men there in place of colonies one spends
much more, having to consume on the garrison all the income from the
state, so that the acquisition turns into a loss, and many more are
exasperated, because the whole state is injured; through the shifting
of the garrison up and down all become acquainted with hardship, and
all become hostile, and they are enemies who, whilst beaten on their
own ground, are yet able to do hurt. For every reason, therefore, such
guards are as useless as a colony is useful."

There.

Is that crazy or what? I've often felt that our country, that our government is much more suited to conquest. But the "morals" or culture of our country will not let something as heartless and unjust as conquest take place. Another republic in the past was fond of conquest and it worked out for them for a long time... however, their lack of tolerance and justice for those with different views saw their downfall. Not to mention the complete disintegration of their moral fiber. (I like saying moral fiber... I feel like Dan Quayle.) All the same. A little advice for the government of the people, for the people, but held back from doing what they really want by the people. How do you conquer Iraq without it looking like you've conquered Iraq? Liberate them.

I don't like this translation as much as the one I'm reading in book form, but it was the only online version available, and I am not about, I don't care how much I like the quote, to type anything this long.

NOTE: The online text file of this book and many classic works of literature can be obtained free of charge on the incredibly awesome Project Gutenberg. One of the oldest websites, and projects on the internet, this online compendium of literature is truly amazing. Check it out!