Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-04-01
(By G.. s. s~trandvold.)

- - Wy We ~ 4
+ In Plato,s Republic" socrates is
represented as saying to Glaucon:
THE truth Is that the state in
which the rulers most reluctant to
govern is always the best and most
governed. and the state In
which they are most eager. the
worst"
This is still n of the fundamental
upon (which society is built,
and has been understood fewer times
it has been misunderstood. IN
these five lines a concrete statement is
given which throws a startling light
on historical Developments. for what
has been accomplished or de-
stroyed Gin the course OF human
events" has been rooted in unre-
strained .eagerness on the part OF rul-
ers to assert their own will and to
impose it upon those who are govern
ed.
The reluctant" prince or minister
Of state is not necessarily tndolent. or
Indifferent, but,he considers his pow.
err as a means more than as q goal
and places himself, in the background
so as to remove the undue influence
VI 11AS PCI oOlA0AASy 0nN
actions which benefit the common
wealth. S..
Eagerneas Of Autocfats.
On ,the> other hand. tho ruler who
by means at his disposal desires to
it a point to always remain in the
foreground where everyone may see
him and be unwtllingly inspired by
his presence. Generally he looks at
the functions of his government az
those Of merely furthering his own
vainglory, and he always keeps an
alert eye on that particular niche In
the gallery Of history. which tradt-
tionally Is reserved for rulers.
The ~autocrat need not perforce be
the emperor of vast domains; it is
not even necessary that he wear the
crown Of q king of a smaller country,
nor that he be a duke or a grand duke
of some petty principally.
He is found even in democratic ma
lions where kings and princes are alb
horred, and he is a very frequent APP
pearing phenomenon In h councils
Of political parties and factions.
The ordinary insignia Of power are
might too plainly intimate to his sub
tects that he wanted to emphasize the
Importance Of his power; held he a
scepter in his hand. he might give
the party or the faction an Impression
that he thought it useful to symbolic
his personal influence by, an imple-
ment which is held humiliatine
among all liberty-loving peoples.
Persuasive Methods Adopted.
So the party autocrat dispenses
with the usual tokens of imperial
glory. What king wants, and what
he wants to retain, is exactly that
which the emperor or the king wants
ITO have and to hold" but the un-
crowned %autocrat is wise in the ways
of the world, and although he covets
power and wealth, the main task be-
fore him is to make the party believe
that such things are beyond the
range Of his desires.
He takes, in other words. refuge in
the ancient art, known by a modern
word as -.camouhage. which really
meansfthats he is striving to represent
something that he il not.
We thus see the demagogue evolved
on the strength of the same principles
which made gilded autocracy posi-
BILE.
But the significant thing Is that the
uCSAICS " U0 dSCCPkCu dc
a true democrat-that is, as a friend
of the people while the tact remains
that he cares nothing for the people
the party, as the case may be-
except in solar as their interests fur
ther his own.
Dissenters Are Traitors.
If the party autocrat is temporarily
successful, he builds up what he likes t
--S1 L. kL1 ,,@Ii<f4oN SyA~~ 1~,,I~- ~ ~
present day, d ''machine"-and he
takes good care that he himself is the
engineer who runs It.. The machine
usually consists OF a program and a
lot Of people who profess faith in that
program as we'll as in the person OF
the autocrat-
The highest ability Of the leader is
now demonstrated in his power ia
persuade a large number Of his fol-
lowers that he is the supreme repre-
sentative of all those lofty ideals fol-
which he pretends to fight. Those
who dare think differently. tina is
reason for themselves. and who soor
realize the transparency Of the cam
outage, are branded as traitors.
The stern and iron-cast rule pro-
mulgated by the eager party %autocra'
is that everything the party does, is
good, and that everything the ,opposi.
ton advocates Isl detrimental ito the
welfare Of humanity. In order to EN-.
phasize this view the autocrat fire.
quently poses in the attitude of some
great real democrat and time and
again he makes use Of certain phrases
which, when they were uttered by
reluctant rulers. carried wholesome
and inspiring truth TO the world at
large.
Thus it is Quite stylish" nowadays
for a demagogue to stand on a plat
form, or to write in the propaganda
pamphlets issued to further his per-
sonal glory andT4interests, quoting
such immortal sentence as. for in
stance:
.Governmant Of the people, for the
people and BY. tAe people shall not
This u s.whsxe ,nhsMsagerS autocrat
attsnnptsSt9a sauuaAath6 role Of a luler
who by nature Ssand inclination~ Il.
what SocratesS understood BY "reluc.
tant,---in other N6ords, he makes an
effort to- convinceSshtA followers that
he is really a true and ,wholehearted
democrat-(fort hSw else could he
think Of using such a quotation!)-
and that he works solely in, the In
terest Of "his' people.