登陆注册
5243900000045

第45章 Chapter 7(3)

So true is this, that even in those instances, such as the Finns and other fragments of the Russian imperial dominions, where a newly emerging nation has set out to go on its way without taking pains to safeguard the grievances of the old order, -- even in these instances that should seem to concern no one but themselves, the gentlemen of the old school who guard the political institutions of the old order in the world at large find it impossible to keep their Wands off and to let these adventurous pilgrims of hope go about their own business in their own way. Self-determination proves to be insufferable if it partakes of the new order rather than of the old, at least so long as the safe and sane gentlemen of the old school can hinder it by any means at their command. It is felt that the vested interests which underlie the gentlemen of the old school would not be sufficiently secure in the keeping of these unshorn and unshaven pilgrims of hope, and the doubt may be well taken. So that, within the intellectual horizon of the practical statesmen, the only safe, sane, and profitable manner of national establishment and national policy for these newcomers is something after the familiar fashion of the Balkan states; and it may also be admitted quite broadly that these newly arriving peoples commonly are content to seek their national fortunes along precisely these Balkan state lines; although the Finns and their like are perhaps to be counted as an unruly exception to the rule.

These Balkan states, whose spirit, aims, and ways are so admirable in the eyes of the gentlemanly keepers of the old political and economic order, are simply a case of imperialism in the raw. They are all and several still in the pickpocket stage of dynastic state-making, comparable with the state of Prussia before Frederick the Great Pickpocket came to the throne. And now, with much sage counsel from the safe and sane statesmen of the status quo ante. Czechs. Slovaks. Slovenes, Ruthenians, Ukrainians, Croats, Poles and Polaks are breathlessly elbowing their way into line with these minuscular Michiavellians. Quite unchastened by their age-long experience in adversity they are all alike clamoring for national establishments stocked up with all the time-tried contrivances for discomfort and defeat. With one hand they are making frantic gestures of distress for an "outlet to the sea" by means of which to escape insufferable obstruction of their overseas trade by their nationally minded neighbors, while with the other hand they are feverishly at work to contrive a customs frontier of their own, together with other standard devices for obstructing their neighbors' trade and their own, so soon as they shall have any trade to obstruct. Such is the force of habit and tradition. In other words, these peoples are aiming to become self-determining nations in good standing.

And all the while it is plain to all men that a national "outlet to the sea" has no meaning in time of pence and in the absence of national governments working at cross-purposes. Which comes near to saying that the sole material object of these new projects in nation-making is to work at cross-purposes with their neighbors across the new-found national frontiers. So also it is plain that this mutual working at cross-purposes between the nations hinders the keeping of the peace, even when it is all mitigated with all the approved apparatus of diplomatic make-believe, compromise, and intrigue. Just as it is plain that the peace is not to be kept by use of armaments, but all the while national armaments are also included as an indispensable adjunct of national life, in all the projects of these new nations of the Balkan pattern. The right to carry arms is an inalienable right of national self-determination and an indispensable means of self-help, as understood by these nation-makers of the old school. So also it is plain that national pretensions in the field of foreign trade and investment, and all the diversified expedients for furthering and protecting the profitable enterprise of the vested interests in foreign parts, run consistently at cross-purposes with the keeping of the peace.

And all the while the rule of Live and Let Live, as it works out within the framework of the new industrial order, will not tolerate these things. But the rule of Live and Let Live, which embodies the world's hope of peace on earth and a practicable modicum of good will among men, is not of the essence of that time-worn statesmanship which is now busily making the world safe for the vested interests. Neglect and disallowance of those things that make for embroilment does not enter into the counsels of the nation-makers or of those stupendous figures of veiled statecraft that now move in the background and are shaping the destinies of these and other nations with a view to the status quo ante.

All these peoples that now hope to be nations have long been nationalities. A nation is an organisation for collective offence and defence, in peace and war, -- essentially based on hate and fear of other nations; a nationality is a cultural group, bound together by home-bred affinities of language, tradition, use and wont, and commonly also by a supposed community race, --

essentially based on sympathies and sentiments of self-complacency within itself. The Welsh and the Scotch are nationalities, more or less well defined, although they are not nations in the ordinary meaning of the word; so also are the Irish, with a difference, and such others as the Finns and the Armenians. The American republic is a nation, but not a nationality in any full measure. The Welsh and the Scotch have learned the wisdom of Live and Let Live, within the peace of the Empire, and they are not moving to break bounds and set up a national integrity after the Balkan pattern.

The case of the Irish is peculiar; at least so they say.

同类推荐
  • Maiwa's Revenge

    Maiwa's Revenge

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 周易述

    周易述

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太白经

    太白经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上黄箓斋仪

    太上黄箓斋仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 枕中记

    枕中记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 不负卿心

    不负卿心

    她勤劳勇敢,处处为他人着想,可是却被称为妖童,遭众人唾弃。他为一己私欲,收她为徒。教授同时不断吸取她的精元,以壮大自身。迎接她的,是无休止的欺骗和利用,真实身份的揭穿,让他肝肠寸断,为完成使命抹去她的记忆。以为只是一场游戏,可是却种下了痕!
  • 防海纪略

    防海纪略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 年度大戏之提拉米苏

    年度大戏之提拉米苏

    她是一抹寻爱的幽魂。前世的她名叫风惜颜,是才名绝冠的江南第一美女。前世的他名叫白袭然,是风流潇洒的江南第一公子。她与她,演绎了一场举世瞩目的倾城之恋!浪漫的爱情,弹指即为天涯……造物弄人,红颜薄命。她消失的令人心疼,令人感慨…奈何桥边,她等了一年又一年,花开又花谢。却未曾见过她的笑颜……她不愿喝下那碗遗忘前世的孟婆汤,她不愿忘记他温柔如玉的眉眼…终于,她的爱感动了上天。可是,她不曾想到的是……
  • 带二货系统闯界面

    带二货系统闯界面

    我叫曾风,是个贱……呸!我是刺客。我得到一个系统,它叫二货。
  • 哈佛学生最喜欢的思维游戏

    哈佛学生最喜欢的思维游戏

    著名科学家霍金说过:有一个聪明的大脑,你就会比别人更接近成功。思维能力在人的成功过程中起着举足轻重的作用。对于哈佛大学这样的百年世界名校来说,全面开发学生的思维能力,其重要性远排在教授具体知识技能之上。每个游戏都极具代表性和独创性,内容丰富,难易有度,形式活泼。这些浓缩哈佛大学思维训练精华的游戏,能帮助你快速掌握提高思维能力的有效方法,让你越玩越聪明,越玩越成功。这本书最大的优点是涵盖的知识面非常广泛,各方面都能提升孩子的思考和想象能力。这些思维游戏能把孩子学习的积极性充分调动起来,很多时候和家长一起研究和思考,这个互动过程也是非常难得的。
  • 谢谢你曾路过我身旁

    谢谢你曾路过我身旁

    常常,出生于1999年。一个喜欢山水的姑娘。
  • 紫阳真人悟真篇讲义

    紫阳真人悟真篇讲义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 金玉成双

    金玉成双

    那些好看的花啊草啊,其实也不过就是那样而已。只不过看的人高贵了一些,那么这些东西也就跟着高贵了一些。所以说呀,人嘛,可千万别跟那些金呀银呀过不去,更不要傻里傻气做些捞不着油水的买卖。得活得精明点,这样啊,或许才能锦衣玉食,与那可爱的人儿成双成对呢……
  • 逆袭

    逆袭

    花江波澜平静,画舫、清柳、倒影、佳音、公子,如是一幅美画。风春来静静站定船舷,似是已经随着琴奴燕儿的“招思曲”神出天外。不远处,一叶小舟似卷落水江的一片大叶缓缓驶来,风春来轻闭的双眼突然睁开,他感觉到了什么。小舟已经停住,正拦截在画舫的前方。湖中小舟轻摇,舟上的男子却如磐石一般纹丝不动。“风春来,风家大公子?”小舟上的男子一身灰衣,简单素洁,面目如深陷入皮肤中的雕塑。
  • 时光不再至此地

    时光不再至此地

    《时光不再至此地》以寻找儿时伙伴王林为主线,勾勒处一个乡村少年的成长历程,文中描述了清新无忧的童年,日渐懂事的少年,以及初涉社会的青年,让我们从中寻找到自己的影子,跟随刘海洋一起经历蜕变成长。在这文字的前半篇章,作者以惯有的流畅笔风描述了刘海洋的童年时光。在主人公刘海洋日渐成长读大学步入社会的过程中,作者的叙述风格又显成熟老练,情节发展顺利成章却又出其不意,让人读罢觉得过瘾又回味无穷。作品中,那两个少年的影子跃然纸上,挂着鼻涕牛牛的刘海洋,总是跟在刘海洋身后的王林,以及二人之间看似清淡的少年友谊。