Dean's World

Democracy: It Saves Lives

Dean

The great liberal philosopher John Stuart Mill wrote:

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.

In the 20th century, about 37 million people were killed in wars--but instititionalized violence and intentional starvation by fascist and communist governments killed 175 million. In other words, fascist and communist governments killed almost five times as many people as all the wars combined: and it was mostly their own people they killed.

People who act like war is the worst of all possible things need to be reminded that it is not.

Political scientist Rudy Rummel has more on this topic.

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Steven Malcolm Anderson (www):

That is absolutely true. I have always loved that noble quote from John Stuart Mill and I once quoted it on my own blog.

Or, as Patrick Henry put it: "Is peace so sweet or life so dear as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! As for me, give me liberty or give me death."

Quite true also that totalitarianism is far deadlier than war. As Oswald Spengler observed, "Better dead than slave" is the attitude of every healthy culture, and the reverse the attitude of every sick and dying culture. And the bitter irony is that those who say "Better slave than dead" often find themselves dead anyway.

The obvious fact is that we all die. Better to die free than as a slave.

6.29.2005 12:31pm

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neoneocon (mail) (www):

Good post, and concisely put. You are absolutely correct. The problem is, though, that many don't want to look at this issue, because it would force them to leave the realm of the perfect and the ideal (and US-bashing) and enter the world of the lesser of two evils--in other words, the real world in which we live. See this.

6.29.2005 12:40pm

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Hank Barnes (mail):

Wow -- well said. Kinda brings a refreshing clarity to our current circumstance. We have wayyyyyyy to many coddled people in this country, whose biggest inconvenience in life is whether to TiVO "Desperate Housewives" or have a second helping of Ben &Jerry's Ice Cream.

War is in fact Hell -- but becoming a decayed, amoral, sclerotic, socialist country (think France), living off the fumes of past glory would be much worse.

Good post, Dean

Barnes, Hank

6.29.2005 1:19pm

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Russell Newquist (www):

Dean,

I love the post but have to ask, do you have documentation for both sets of numbers (37 million versus 175 million)? I'm not questioning you, just making sure.

Russell

6.29.2005 2:25pm

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Scott Harris (mail) (www):

Monday was the 125th birthday of Helen Keller. She had some thoughts on those who valued their personal safety above all else.

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure.

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.

Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold.

No Pasaran has other quotes from her, as well.

6.29.2005 2:27pm

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TLHeart:

Russel,

Go and Read Rummel's blog, he has the documentation of the 37 mill vs 175 mil. Dean provided the link, right there in the post.

6.29.2005 2:34pm

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Dean Esmay:

Russel: Simply follow the link I provided to Rudy Rummel's article. Rummel is one of the foremost political scientists in the world, and a Nobel nominee. He's unlikely to actually win one in his lifetime simply because the fundamental core of his work--which is that liberal democracies ARE the solution to war and genocide--does not play well with the sensibilities of those in the intelligentsia who still think that "racism and imperialism and poverty" are the cause of war and genocide, rather than a symptom of them.

Anyway, Rummel provides references for his numbers. Just go read it and follow the links.

6.29.2005 2:35pm

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Kevin D:

To interject a bit of religion on this topic:

I think we see something of this in the Tanakh. We see God's people being oppressed by various forces in the world on a number of occasions. It's during these times we see Israel dedicating themselves to God. In return for their righteousness God delivers Israel from their oppressors. A period of peace and blessings is enjoyed by God's people. However, after a time, Israel sees no need for God and fall away from Him. Once again oppression is brought against Israel and the cycle continues.

This teaches us a great deal about human nature. Hardship forces us to focus upon what is really important, not what we think is important for the moment. We don't call the men and women who came out of the Depression the "Greatest Generation" for no reason. Unfortunately their children and grandchildren have known no real hardship and have lost sight of what is truly important and instead have, "nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety..."

I believe the people of the U.S. need a nation hardship to refocus our attention on what is really important once again. As Theodore Roosevelt said: