| Silent Pool | 22 Mar 2014 10:57 a.m. PST |
Who said that? True or false? |
| Nyctalope | 22 Mar 2014 11:11 a.m. PST |
Mao. Differently. It can be true but less often than you'd think. |
| anleiher | 22 Mar 2014 11:13 a.m. PST |
More true internationally than domestically unless one lives in the third world. |
 BigRedBat  | 22 Mar 2014 11:20 a.m. PST |
"Change must come, through the barrel of a gun." (Alabama 3, after Mao) |
| M C MonkeyDew | 22 Mar 2014 11:35 a.m. PST |
It is true domestically for all we like to pretend it isn't. Try not paying your taxes or breaking other laws and then refusing to cooperate with the authorities. Bet they get the sword out at some point. |
| Nyctalope | 22 Mar 2014 11:46 a.m. PST |
Depends how domestic your domesticism is: if you're living in a favela it's everyday fun. I wonder how many American "militia" and off the grid chimps would last ten days in a favela. |
| Feet up now | 22 Mar 2014 12:04 p.m. PST |
This could be cross posted into modern discussion perhaps, aswell as Russian dark ages. |
| John D Salt | 22 Mar 2014 12:36 p.m. PST |
"'Tis not the black coat, but the red,
Has power to make, or be the head ;
Nor is it oaths, nor words, nor tears,
But Musquets and full Bandeleers
Have power of legislating." That dates from the English Civil War, so the idea really isn't original with Mao. All the best, John. |
| Inkpaduta | 22 Mar 2014 1:11 p.m. PST |
"Nuke'm till they glow" Harry Truman |
| M C MonkeyDew | 22 Mar 2014 1:28 p.m. PST |
Nyctalope: It is obviously a matter of degree to what extent the sword ensures the state's hold. Try to board an aircraft in the US and refuse to be searched. I suspect any reasoned argument made on your behalf will not serve to prevent your being made to comply. Of course no one forces you to fly you just have to accept being subject to search in order to do so. How about not stopping at a police checkpoint? Will they tell you that stopping is voluntary and you will not be subject to penalties if you choose not to? Bob |
| Nyctalope | 22 Mar 2014 2:21 p.m. PST |
MC, what I'm saying is that most people in first world societies are quietly and thoroughly trained to obedience by just the very dim shadow of violence. They have to think about it to realize there's a fist clenching behind the (more or less) polite smiles. In third world, low-resource environments the smoke and mirrors budget is kinda small. |
| M C MonkeyDew | 22 Mar 2014 2:56 p.m. PST |
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| Henry Martini | 22 Mar 2014 5:27 p.m. PST |
"See the violence inherent in the state!" |
 ochoin  | 22 Mar 2014 7:49 p.m. PST |
From Get Smart: "Put your knife back in your scabbard!" barks the leader.
His henchman-- obeys and then says "I haven't a scabbard."
"You do now." says the leader.) |
| Pictors Studio | 25 Mar 2014 11:33 a.m. PST |
Machiavelli was one of the first western thinkers to pen this in earnest. His view was that an armed republic was the best form of government. His thought was taken up by James Harrington and, through him, transmitted to the American colonists who incorporated much of the thought into the American Constitution. As far as your second question is concerned it is absolutely true. |
| Silent Pool | 25 Mar 2014 12:45 p.m. PST |
Thank you all kindly. I thought it may have been Oliver Cromwell who said it first, and then taken up by others. |
| Lewisgunner | 26 Mar 2014 2:04 a.m. PST |
No, the first to sacy it are the Gauls who took Rome in the 4th century BC.
One of the Romansprotested that the Gauls were rigging the scales that weighed the tribute in gold that Rome was paying. the lead Gaul took his sword and threw it onto the scales , saying 'Vae Victis' Woe to the conquered! It might be a simpler version , but the sentiment is the same. |
