In yesterday's post I spoke of how no matter what century I read about, there was always something to bring today's woes to mind.
Speaking of Richard II, Marchette Chute (author of Geoffrey Chaucer of England) says:
"In 1397 Richard decided that eight years of constitutional rule at last made him strong enough to avenge his friends. [His enemies] were indicted for treason and paid . . .with their lives.
". . .Unfortunately Richard grew giddy with success. He made the fatal mistake of deciding he was an all-powerful monarch whom no one could withstand. . .
"Blindly unaware of the temper of the nation, Richard raced down the short road to ruin. He ha never practiced self-discipline in his life, and now there was no one to oppose him. . .with two thousand archers in his personal pay,he was free to do what he liked. . . to spend thirty thousand marks on the jewels for a single coat . . .If he lacked the money, he was free to raise more since an intimidated Parliament had handed over to him its hard-won control of taxation. Richard had other means of raising money, such as compelling individuals and corporations to make out blank checks . . ."
And here we are. Instead of 2,000 archers, read ICE and the National Guard. Instead of an intimidated Parliament, we have the toadying GOP. And you can guess who we have instead of Richard.
Richard II was eventually deposed when the English felt his extravagance in their personal purses.
May that history repeat itself here.
5 comments:
What goes around comes back around.
Such is the way of despots, er kings, er anyone who thinks they have unlimited power. And they all tumble in the end. It's how we respond and endure in the mean time...and hope that so many don't suffer.
Unfortunately, we have to wait until The First Felon's term is over before we are free of him -- and he is threatening to disregard the Constitution and run a third time.
Just reading this morning about the raids in Chicago and Elgin made me think of the Nazi tactics. What have we become as a nation to allow this man all this power?
Well, something will shift in your country before too long, but whether it'll get better or worse remains to be seen.
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