Dealing with Revolutionary Powers (7-13-04)

In his book The Great Unraveling, Paul Krugman lists some rules for interpreting news related to revolutionary powers. They are:

1) Don't assume that policy proposals make sense in terms of their stated goals. Revolutionary powers know what they want and make whatever argument advances their goal. They have no compunction about lying or misrepresenting their goals.

2) Do some homework to discover the real goals. The true goal is usually in the public domain. You just have to look at what the revolutionaries said before they were trying to sell it to the broader public.

3) Don't assume that the usual rules of politics apply. Revolutionary powers don't feel obligated to play by the rules.

4) Expect a revolutionary power to respond to criticism by attacking. They don't accept the right of others to criticize their actions. Those who raise questions should expect a no-holds-barred counterattack. Revolutionary powers always feel threatened. Absolute security can only be guaranteed by neutralizing all opponents.

5) Don't think that there's a limit to a revolutionary power's objectives. As Kissinger said in the quote below, revolutionary powers are willing and eager to push their principles to their ultimate conclusion.

It's the last rule that made the deepest impression on me. How many times have we deluded ourselves into believing that the Fundamentalists would moderate and start handling the institutions and agencies of the SBC with respect and begin to treat the people within them with dignity? Krugman is right. There's no limit to their objectives.