Are democracies inherently flawed when it comes to running a war? Does a strong executive (to use the modern terminology) make the running of a war more efficient, if not always more successful? Thucydides would say so, and indeed he lays the blame for Athenian defeat mostly at the hands on the demagogues, who were [...]
Also tagged Athens, Democracy, Lincoln, Napoleon, Rome, Roosevelt, Sicily, Thucydides, VietnamOne of the problems I have with going to a museum that touts its history collection and suggests that it will teach the visitor something about history is that for the most part the audience will take for granted that the museum will tell “the truth.”1 Often these displays will not actually lie to said [...]
Also tagged Constitution, glorification, museums, Naval HistoryGunboat diplomacy is rarely the answer, even to piracy. I am not so naive as to say that asking the pirates nicely to stop would be sufficient, nor do I believe that piracy in the immediate generation is a problem that has peaceful solutions; the ultimate solution is peaceful, the final solution is to raise [...]
Also tagged Bainbridge, Barbary Wars, Decatur, Nelson, parrots, Pirates, SomaliaDefine self interest. A course of action that brings unto the participant success? Staying true to who one is? Amassing fortune and power? No one has ever willfully followed a course of action contrary to self interest. No one who could be genuinely considered a loyal citizen of a state has ever knowingly set it [...]
Also tagged Historiography, Japan, rant