Those Who Do Not Know Their History
Today I opened the 7 March 2011 issue of TIME. On page 2, I encountered a letter which I shall reproduce below:
Here's some history most people forget. The Old Swiss Confederacy, founded 1291, was unbeaten in battle till 1515 at Marignano. They had the largest standing army in Europe, the most desired mercenaries, and the most lethal kill-rate. These soldiers were the best close-combat infantry in the world for centuries. The Swiss have been exporting mercenaries (including technocratic and economic ones) for 720 years now.
How do you think they became democratic? They did it by fighting a huge civil war, beating up the neighbouring states, and expanding unchecked (and uncheckable) for 224 years (see previous paragraph).
As for Lucerne, among the many nice things it is known for, it is known for a particularly horrendous weapon, the Lucerne hammer. This thing was designed to smash armour using a hammerhead which looks like modern lobster-cracking gear, a long spike, and a short beak—all mounted on a 2-metre pole.
The Swiss, in short, were not a peaceable bunch of yodellers stuck on ski resorts high up in central Europe. They were a dominant bunch who were well able to enforce their own idea of democratic neutrality by beating up anybody else who came their way. Only the mass proliferation of firearms stopped them in the end.
So, Mr Sandomeno, please spare us the Swiss cowbells. The Swiss have no business telling people that you can have democracy without bloody battles and large armies. And, of course, neither can the Americans (who to this day, like the Swiss use their history as an excuse to arm the populace).
It provoked an undignified HMPH from me as my eyes scanned the last lines. Lucerne, Switzerland, really?
I always admire Klein's well-written and factual articles. However, I very much disagree with his statement that "strong armies create security, a necessary precursor for democracy." First, Egypt must solve its problems with strong government and decisive leadership, not an army. Second, this is a perfect opportunity for the U.S. to demonstrate its goodwill via the Peace Corps. Now is the opportunity to seize the moment to promote peace, which we failed to do in the 1970s. It is not too late.
Michael Sandomeno,
Lucerne, Switzerland
Here's some history most people forget. The Old Swiss Confederacy, founded 1291, was unbeaten in battle till 1515 at Marignano. They had the largest standing army in Europe, the most desired mercenaries, and the most lethal kill-rate. These soldiers were the best close-combat infantry in the world for centuries. The Swiss have been exporting mercenaries (including technocratic and economic ones) for 720 years now.
How do you think they became democratic? They did it by fighting a huge civil war, beating up the neighbouring states, and expanding unchecked (and uncheckable) for 224 years (see previous paragraph).
As for Lucerne, among the many nice things it is known for, it is known for a particularly horrendous weapon, the Lucerne hammer. This thing was designed to smash armour using a hammerhead which looks like modern lobster-cracking gear, a long spike, and a short beak—all mounted on a 2-metre pole.
The Swiss, in short, were not a peaceable bunch of yodellers stuck on ski resorts high up in central Europe. They were a dominant bunch who were well able to enforce their own idea of democratic neutrality by beating up anybody else who came their way. Only the mass proliferation of firearms stopped them in the end.
So, Mr Sandomeno, please spare us the Swiss cowbells. The Swiss have no business telling people that you can have democracy without bloody battles and large armies. And, of course, neither can the Americans (who to this day, like the Swiss use their history as an excuse to arm the populace).
Labels: Democracy, Military History
etched with acid at 6:49:00 pm
2 Comments:
I quote from the letter:
"[...] U.S. to demonstrate its goodwill via the Peace Corps. Now is the opportunity to seize the moment to promote peace, which we failed to do in the 1970s."
The Peace Corps is also a US-specific organisation and I doubt it would be the first thing in the minds of a Swiss national.
Additionally, though tenuous, Lucerne is not in the Italian speaking part of Switzerland, and Sandomeno somehow feels like a Southern Italian name anyway.
In short, not only may the writer not be Swiss, he may indeed be American. In which case, not knowing history should hardly be surprising.
Which is why I covered both bases in the last paragraph. Maybe he's Swiss and used to work in America; maybe he is American and works in the Swiss Federation—whatever it is, the sense of history is missing. And that is a failing of most people, especially in loud new democracies (like the US), today.
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