napoleon
Sun 8.9.20
Revolution, we are told is merely the exchange of one despot for another. All rulers are despots, believe themselves to be deities, to be creators, especially endowed. The people understand this and accept it. They appreciate good, intelligent, fair-minded leaders, but mostly, as their representative, they want him to be bold, courageous, larger than life, and exhibit characteristics as those of the people.
Revolutions become necessary when leadership is no longer viable and is destructive of the functioning state and its people; the system has broken down, is becoming self destructive. Our parade of fools, politicians, celebrities, savants are no different than their predecessors since recorded history, and are excused for their excesses, mostly. There is much talk lately of an upcoming civil war in the country because one faction of the leadership, the democrats seeks to abolish the republicans and especially its leader, Donald Trump. Revolutions, wars and the like are about finances. The people will not be led to war over party loyalty, but for the coins in their pockets. They will endure all types of impotency, humiliation, if they are provided the means for a good quality life. The revolution starts in America when the economy reaches the point where the middle class can no longer provide for its needs. On that note, Two businesses folded in my neighborhood of late, Walgreen and Dunkin’ Donuts. This is only the beginning.
Napoleon Bonaparte was a soldier during the French Revolution. He was a truly great leader, a genius whose battle tactics are studied to this day in military academies. He was made general at the age of 24, and his army claimed most of Europe. The soldiers loved him because he never asked of them what he what he was not prepared to do himself right along with them. I was impressed by his ability to love, not a distinguishing quality among rulers. His wife Josephine was the love of his life. On his death bed his last word was her name.
The soldier became an emperor of the revolution. He brought liberal reforms to his captured territories establishing the Napoleonic Code. The British historian, Andrew Robert has this to say about him, “The ideas that underpin our modern world – meritocracy, equality before the law, property rights, religious toleration, modern secular education, sound finances and so on, were championed, consolidated, codified and geographically extended by Napoleon. To them he added a rational and efficient local administration, an end to rural banditry, the encouragement of science and the arts, the abolition of feudalism and the greatest codification of laws since the fall of the Roman Empire.” His strongest talent in school was math, of course. But he didn’t bring all this change about by himself. He was a revolutionary, part of a people’s movement. He was chosen by the people because he enunciated their ideals. Below are some of his thoughts.
A leader is a dealer in hope.
Impossible is not French.
There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit.
Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.
You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all of your art of war.
There is no such thing as accident; it is fate misnamed.
Victory belongs to the most persevering.
Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.
History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon.
Soldiers generally win battles; generals get credit for them.
I love power. But it is as an artist that I love it. I love it as a musician loves his violin, to draw out its sounds and chords and harmonies.
The first virtue in a soldier is endurance of fatigue; courage is only the second virtue.
Power is my mistress. I have worked too hard at her conquest to allow anyone to take her away from me.
Music is the voice the tells us that the human race is greater than it knows.
An army marches on its stomach.
He who knows how to flatter also knows how to slander.
Forethought we may have, undoubtedly, but not foresight.
Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in.
The truest wisdom is a resolute determination.
Men take only their needs into consideration — never their abilities.
He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat.
Throw off your worries when you throw off your clothes at night.
You become strong by defying defeat and by turning loss and failure into success.
In politics . . . never retreat, never retract . . . never admit a mistake.
Men are moved by two levers only: fear and self interest.
You should never forbid what one lacks to the power to prevent.
Power is the appearance of power.
If you want something done right, do it yourself.
Death is nothing, but to live inglorious and defeated is to die daily.
I am sometimes a fox, and sometimes a lion. The whole secret of government is knowing when to be which.
Four hostile newspapers are to be feared more than a thousand bayonets.
I have only one counsel for you — Be master.
Set your mind on a definite goal and observe how quickly the world stands aside to let you pass.
The way of success is the way of continuous pursuit of knowledge.
Self-discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don’t control what you think, you can’t control what you do.
Simply, self-discipline enables you to think first and act afterward.
The ladder of success is never crowded at the top.
You are the master of your destiny. You can influence, direct and control your own environment. You can make your life what you want it to be.
Most great people have attained their greatest success just one step beyond their greatest failure.
Deliberately seek the company of people who influence you to think and act for yourself.
Every adversity, every failure, every headache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.
Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.
We refuse to believe that which we don’t understand.
The world has the habit of making room for the man whose actions show that he knows where he is going.
One sound idea is all that one needs to achieve success.
Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by ignorance.
Public opinion is the thermometer a monarch should constantly consult.
A celebrated people lose dignity upon a closer view.
A man will fight harder for his interests than for his rights.
A revolution can be neither made nor stopped. the only thing that can be done is for one of several of its children to give it a direction by dint of victories.
A revolution is an idea which has found its bayonets.
A true man hates no one.
France has more need of me than I have need of France.
I can no longer obey; I have tasted command, and I cannot give it up.
