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Accidental empires

Taki

Wednesday, 28th May 2008

Taki lives the High Life

‘Is democracy on the march or is it in retreat?’ screams a headline in the Washington Times. The question was put to Condoleezza Rice last week, and I must say, for a little-to-show-for-it secretary of state, she answered very well: ‘Freedom does not advance on a steady trajectory — setbacks and detours should be expected...’

Americans seem to be obsessed with democracy, now even more so than during the Cold War. We (ancient) Greeks take credit for it, but don’t really consider it for others, only for ourselves. Athens became a democratic city-state in various stages. The poorest were eventually made eligible for the magistracies, but the generalship always remained in aristocratic hands. When someone got too big for his breeches, like Themistocles, out he went. But he craftily persuaded the Persian Xerxes to attack the Greeks in Salamis, only to score an even greater victory than Marathon, and it was all his own. The victory, that is. Old Themistocles even managed to persuade the Spartan admiral to stay away, making it a one-man show. Something like what Ahmed Chalabi tried with Bush and Blair where Iraq was concerned, except for the fact Chalabi was a conman-crook whereas Themistocles was a very shrewd and intelligent patriot.

The point the great Greek historian Taki is trying to make is that empires fall into place not by design, but by accident. The Athenian empire began with alliances against Persia — the Confederacy of Delos — which eventually Athens transformed into an empire. At first Spartan admirals were in command, but the Ionians disliked Dorian discipline and decided on the Athenian Kimon, the rich son of Miltiades, the victor of Marathon. So what about democracy, then? The Spartans took care of that little bother. There are those who believe the ruinous Peloponnesian War took place in order to break the power and influence of the Alcibiades class, i.e., rich aristocrats. The last refused to enter chariot teams at Olympia and thought the rest of the Greeks rather unsophisticated. Once Athens went down the Swanee, aristocrats refused to splash out on civic expenditures, and in came the professional classes. Does this remind any of you of home, home being the British Empire and modern Britain? Once the Greeks went pro, it was curtains, until Alexander saved it for us Hellenes, but no one did it for you Brits.

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David Short

May 29th, 2008 5:01pm

Once again, Taki proves that all he is, and all he has ever been, is a rich kid who has no understanding of the ordinary person.

Has anyone asked the Chinese if they prefer the way things are because they possibly get an extra half bowl of rice a day?

Does it matter to someone who has never had to earn a living that people are working for slave wages and under slave conditions in China to make the disposable electronic geegaws that we buy in the West?

We play with things that are bought on the misery, deaths and entrapment of millions.

I think it is shameful that the Spectator continues to print this seemingly learned thoughts that are ultimately offensive garbage.

Never forget the findings of Amartya Sen, that there has never been a famine in a country that had democracy and a free press.

Patrick Michault

May 29th, 2008 5:11pm

The great Michel is right. Behind the gossip lies
a highly intelligent and cultivated man. No fool
is he,the little greek should write more.

John Nagenda

June 1st, 2008 8:54pm

We have had so much fun from Taki going back a couple of decades. But now that he is no longer "up and doing" I fear he is given to lazy ranting about his favourite, and repetitive, subjects. The juice is gone. Compare him for example to Low Life's Jeremy Clarke and it is clear who is alive, and who approaching coma. Surely this is not as it was meant to be!