Review Tales
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WAS PLATO CORRECT IN CLAIMING DEMOCRACIES DEVOLE INTO TYRANNIES? by Thomas J. Yeggy
Why devote five years of your life to researching historical facts and theories on what has caused human behavior that results in war? Because the next major war will be much different than even WWII, which resulted in over eighty million deaths over a six-year span. Even if only a few hundred understand the why of war in human history from reading, the goal will have been reached.
One only needs to look to at the rise of Hitler, Tojo, and Mussolini during the early twentieth century to at least give some credence to Plato’s theory. Nationalism became the predominant anecdote for all that ailed those beleaguered by external forces, and soon the rhetoric from the dominant factions and their leaders drowned out any introspection or contrary beliefs. By the time those exalting the supremacy of their heritage were routed, over eighty million would have died. But now, an even greater danger awaits future generations, nuclear proliferation.
The series that I have written first explores the early years of nuclear weapons concluding that without civilian oversight and a balancing of nuclear capabilities, over 300 million Soviets and Chinese would have died in a first strike by the US military. The three US Presidents following the end of WWII may not be thought of as great world leaders, but that would be a mistake. Plato would have classified Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy as philosopher kings because even though the military constantly brayed about an ability to take out the Soviet Union, they resisted. A cursory examination of the Executive Committee tapes demonstrates clearly that President Kennedy was the only one in the room that sought a peaceful solution. Similarly, on October 28,1962, Vasily Arkipov, during the height of the Cuban missile crisis, successfully resisted an order from Captain Savitsky to fire a nuclear torpedo that would have set off WWIII.
It is the story of these brave men and others that the First Stike Series seeks to tell.
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One Comment on “WAS PLATO CORRECT IN CLAIMING DEMOCRACIES DEVOLE INTO TYRANNIES? by Thomas J. Yeggy”
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Interesting thesis, though it doesn’t sound like I would agree with a good chunk of the book. Which means it is very much the kind of book I should read for balance & challenge. Plato was only part right (as usual) — ALL non-democracies have devolved into tyrannies, and so far democracies for the most part tend to settle into more peaceable entities. They just have inset problems with office holders handing out money to get re-elected. Nobody’s perfect.
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