printThis anecdote from Pat Buchanan’s latest, historically rich column gives meaning to Hans-Hermann Hoppe’s thesis that if one has to choose between the mob (democracy) or the monarchy, the latter is far preferable and benevolent:
“Louis XVI let the mob lead him away from Versailles, which he never saw again. When artillery captain Bonaparte asked one of the late king’s ministers why Louis had not used his cannons, the minister is said to have replied, ‘The king of France does not use artillery on his own people.'”
“To which Napoleon is said to have replied, ‘What an idiot.'”
Napolean was not French. He was a Corsican nationalist. Corsica used to be part of the Republic of Genoa. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_I_of_France
It’s easier to murder those of another tribe than those of your own.
I have VDARE to thank for this insight. http://www.vdare.com/fulford/national_review.htm
I enjoyed Buchanan’s editorial. Regarding Tiananmen – I recall that the students were unable to restrain the militant Jacobin fringe and thought that demanding that the leaders of China be tried was going to lead to violence.
I remember my father repeatedly cursing the CIA and USIA for encouraging the Hungarians to rise up against the Soviets. Buchanan knows his history better than the FOX News harpies.
As for democracy – we get to choose whether GM should steal from Ford or conversely. Should old people be taxed to pay for college educations (e.g. frat parties for most) for the young or should the young be taxed to subsidize the old (e.g. retirees gambling in Trump casinos)? Sadly, 80% of our modern government consists of one Group of people robbing everyone else, NOT protecting our liberties. We elect our figurehead Messiah while the Fed operates behind closed doors.
An enlightened monarch might be an improvement of Obama and Bush. An interesting movie to watch is Juarez where “liberal” but vain Emperor Maximillian and Benito Juarez discuss their opposing views of democracy with Porofirio Diaz (eventual dictator of Mexico for a generation): http://www.tcm.com/thismonth/article.jsp?cid=17913…133164
The Pat Buchanan link doesn’t seem to be correct. [fixed; thanks.]
Napoleon has since met his Maker or else life is meaningless. So I imagine that Napoleon has learned better since then.