Do enemies make us easier to govern?

[garinda]

Ok, another sleepless night, and my mind went a wandering. Sorry.


We as a nation have long been fearful of attack. The Spanish with their Armarda. Napolean's might made us build Martello towers all along the coast, to fend off the French. Then we had the Germans for the first half of the twentieth century, only to be replaced by the Russians in the latter half.

The end of the Cold War seemed to be the start of a new era in world peace, but then we entered into a war with 'terror'. These few Muslim extremists have brought about an increase in fear from the majority of people in the West. Racism is on the rise, not just against Muslims, but according to the press Jews and Christians as well.

Do the governments of the world encourage our fear, as it makes us easier to govern if we have a percieved enemy at the door?

On a much smaller scale you could take football hooliganism as another example of man's need for an enemy. Rovers hates Burnley, and both will fight each other, unless it's an international when they will join forces to pit battle against say the Germans. Perhaps it's a good job we don't have inter-continental matches, as we'd then have the Brits fighting with the Krauts to whip the Dagos of South America.

I've never held much credence with conspiracy theories but we do seem to need a percieved foe, and perhaps the governments of the world like this fact, as it means we don't look to closely at them.

[WillowTheWhisp]

I think you're onto something there. Even in fiction it seems we have this need to have a common enemy in order unite humanity.

Look at Star Trek - you get a confederation of planets but they have to be fighting Klingons or Ferengi or somebody.

[SPUGGIE J]

Without an enemy wether real our percived the "football" mentality would take over and there would be chaos on the streets. Yes we are proberly easier to goven when faced with real or percieved enimies at our garden gate.

[chav1]

it does seem odd that once the threat of teh IRA was reduced along came terrorism to keep us all in tow

yes i do think 99% of the threat/hype is created by our govenment

[cashman]

easier to govern= YES, thats a knocking bet,also believe that most troubles/wars are started to make mountains of dosh for the faceless few,not as propaganda would have us believe,help the oppressed you gotta be joking.

[bullseyebarb]

Government controls with tax policy, the welfare state and laws and regulations which intrude upon every aspect of our daily lives.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by bullseyebarb

Government controls with tax policy, the welfare state and laws and regulations which intrude upon every aspect of our daily lives.

Oh, damn.

I was hoping that you'd give me a link to some hicksville conspiracy theorist site that backed up my nocturnal thoughts.

[Bazf]

For half a century, our priorities were dominated by the fear of Russian Communism--until it collapsed of its own internal weakness. As I listen to the grim rhetoric of Messrs. Bush and Cheney, I wonder if they are leading us into another half-century of cold war, with terrorism replacing Communism as the second great hobgoblin of our age.
The Administration now has seventy-five officials hidden in bunkers outside Washington poised to take over the government in the event of a terrorist attack. Is it possible that paranoia has become policy? No such extreme measures were undertaken in World War II, nor in the half-century of cold war between the two nuclear giants, Russia and the United States. Our military services are the best in the world. But with a military budget at record levels, do we need to allocate another $48 billion--an amount greater than the total budget of most 3rd world countries? Is not the surest foundation for our military forces a healthy, educated, usefully employed citizenry? but if we educate to much the citizenry may understand whats going on and the rich may not get richer.

[Billcat]

It's been years since I read the book, but that's exactly the point made in Orwell's "1984." Because there is an alleged war on, the government justifies taking away people's rights. In fact, they use the "war" to justify doing exactly what they wish to do.

The following quote pretty much sums up my attitude towards the Bush mal-adminitraiton - "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." - Benjamin Franklin

[Billcat]

Originally Posted by garinda

Oh, damn.

I was hoping that you'd give me a link to some hicksville conspiracy theorist site that backed up my nocturnal thoughts.

Thanks, garinda, for the best laugh of the day! Check your Karma comments!

[Ianto.W.]

I think we actually like having enemies, it would be such a boring life if everyone got on. This tiny island has not been conquered by force of arms since 1066, the British spirit of patriotism in adversity makes us easy to govern.