Victor Davis Hanson asks: why is appeasement so seductive and where will it take us in the 21st century?
11 Replies to “Seductions Of Appeasement”
I read the “Saviour Generals” and found Mr. Hanson’s writing to be well worth the time. I’ve read numerous of his articles and I think I could recommend this.
The US should adopt the foreign policy of Switzerland and the defense policy of Finland.
“Over grown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty, and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty.”
George Washington.
From Simon;s article quoting Hanson, ” that war, not peace, was the natural way of humanity.” I agree with Simon, that is a startling thought, and when you think about it Hanson is right. This has been true throughout history. If you are a believer the state of war existed after Adam and Eve ate the apple, and if you are not a believer war began when the first tribes bumped up against each other angling for food for survival.
Appeasement? I think this thinking took off with a combination of Marxist thinking of a proletarian governed world as a single state and the appalling loss of life in WWI. Politicians, especially leftist politicians, will increasingly risk their nation’s survival just to avoid war, not realizing that the other fellow’s aim is the annihilation of the opposing civilization.
Captcha seems to be working well.
I would think any competent adult should know that (a) war has always been the natural human condition, and (b) peace is only imposed with great difficulty and with great force. Someone out there has always been, and always will be, very interested in taking everything you have, including your life, away from you.
Everyone’s entitled to their own world view and personal values but if you don’t understand this basic natural fact of life you’re a danger to those around you.
I think that appeasement is the refuge of cowards,both intellectual and physical cowards, who are afraid of any type of confrontation. 150 years ago these people could be outed and challenged to a duel, nowadays they can hide forever behind their alleged pacifism and “care for their fellow man”.
This deception becomes readily apparent when said pacifists hold real power,such as in the power of government,as they will enact a myriad of laws designed to make everyone live by their increasingly rigid standards.
I hesitate to mention their propensity for hiring the worst thugs to police their State of utopia.
“why is appeasement so seductive”
Because it’s the path of least resistance.
“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”
~Winston Churchill
A’pees: Old Nakota word meaning “yellow dog crawls”.
Appeasement is appealing for some because it is easy. For people like Obama, it is par the course.
I read the “Saviour Generals” and found Mr. Hanson’s writing to be well worth the time. I’ve read numerous of his articles and I think I could recommend this.
You tube is also a fine source for this author.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LX1xgrIVPE
The US should adopt the foreign policy of Switzerland and the defense policy of Finland.
“Over grown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty, and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty.”
George Washington.
From Simon;s article quoting Hanson, ” that war, not peace, was the natural way of humanity.” I agree with Simon, that is a startling thought, and when you think about it Hanson is right. This has been true throughout history. If you are a believer the state of war existed after Adam and Eve ate the apple, and if you are not a believer war began when the first tribes bumped up against each other angling for food for survival.
Appeasement? I think this thinking took off with a combination of Marxist thinking of a proletarian governed world as a single state and the appalling loss of life in WWI. Politicians, especially leftist politicians, will increasingly risk their nation’s survival just to avoid war, not realizing that the other fellow’s aim is the annihilation of the opposing civilization.
Captcha seems to be working well.
I would think any competent adult should know that (a) war has always been the natural human condition, and (b) peace is only imposed with great difficulty and with great force. Someone out there has always been, and always will be, very interested in taking everything you have, including your life, away from you.
Everyone’s entitled to their own world view and personal values but if you don’t understand this basic natural fact of life you’re a danger to those around you.
I think that appeasement is the refuge of cowards,both intellectual and physical cowards, who are afraid of any type of confrontation. 150 years ago these people could be outed and challenged to a duel, nowadays they can hide forever behind their alleged pacifism and “care for their fellow man”.
This deception becomes readily apparent when said pacifists hold real power,such as in the power of government,as they will enact a myriad of laws designed to make everyone live by their increasingly rigid standards.
I hesitate to mention their propensity for hiring the worst thugs to police their State of utopia.
“why is appeasement so seductive”
Because it’s the path of least resistance.
“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”
~Winston Churchill
A’pees: Old Nakota word meaning “yellow dog crawls”.
Appeasement is appealing for some because it is easy. For people like Obama, it is par the course.
Wow. I just read this article. This guy is great. Thanks
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/419763/sexism-and-racism-are-leftism-victor-davis-hanson?target=author&tid=900280
During WW II Dr Susue drew many editorial cartoons one titled THE APPEASERS look it up on the internet