1/21/2011

Bodyguards and Assassins 2

The movie has many angles to look at, and lessons to be told. The Qing Dynasty was decadent and had lost the mandate to rule. But the Dowager was bent on keeping the Dynasty going for as long as possible, and with all means and resources available. Suppressing the opposition at all cost was her only way. The Dynasty had run out of ideas on how to rule the country. The country was in disarray and controlled by foreigners. The foreigners were calling the shot. It was a pathetic scenario, even in modern society, should the foreigners ended calling the shot in a country. The dangerous part about this ‘foreigner’ thing in modern history is that they could pass themselves off as citizens by simply acquiring a citizenship. And overnight people believe that they are one of them, no longer foreigners. Instant trees and instant citizenship have their merits and dangers. The Qing Dynasty was oppressive and deadly. They just killed off any opposition. Under such a political culture, when the rulers were ruthless and ready to demolish anyone trying to stand up to voice their opposition, the patriots could not hope for a peaceful change of the power elite. They were compelled to meet force with force, a rebellion. But for such an endeavour to succeed, there would be many sacrifices of lives. For every martyr that was taken down, more must stand up to replace the fallen. It was a bloody time. The unassuming doctor in Sun Yat Sen stood up. And so were many pen pushers, academics and students, all wanting a new China for the people. Many were mowed down by the soldiers who wielded the sword and the gun. The pen pushers provided the leadership and ideas, the brain. And the soldiers provided the muscles and the brawns to take on the ruthless Qing regime headed by an ageing Dowager. The rest was history. An empire of several hundred years, with all the elite in power, with guns and money, was overthrown by the will of a desperate people. History repeated itself. No empire can survive forever, no matter how powerful, how long it stayed in power, and how ruthless is the suppression of the people’s will. There will always be a new dawn and a new era.

4 comments:

Wally Buffet said...

I read the Straight Times this morning while sitting on my throne and three bold letters on the front page caught my eye.

"Will PAP Last?"

And what followed was an assessment given by LKY as to how the era of the PAP would end.

Frankly, if its era does end, I would be sorry to see it go. I grew up with them. I went through all the bad times with them and so did many of my peers. They did many outstanding things for the country including providing affordable housing for the masses then. The HDB flat I first bought costs me the princely sum of S$6200. Not a big house but it was home for many years. Two of my sons were born while staying in that small flat. One can say that their ascendancy was mainly due to the fact that every poor family was provided an abode, albeit just basic housing but at minimal cost, nay at cost I would say. Mr. Lim Kim San, then the HDB head was a man who did not think of grandiose ideas like condo like HDB homes that now cost an arm and a leg. Life was simple but good. People weren't like now, going about like zombies worrying about how to pay the bills at the end of the month.

Throughout China's history, every dynasty must come to an end and Sinkapoore can be no exception.

The only consolation I have is that when it does end here, I would be in the kingdom of heaven or hell depending on what I did or do before embarking on that journey.

Hehe. :o)

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Basically they have screwed up a winning formula. Now with half baked supertalent whose heart is somewhere else, the rot has set in.

The more they mess with the formula, the deeper they dug themselves in. It is a vicious cycle of self destruct.

In the times gone by, everyone was buying their homes and not having to worry about repaying, and not worrying about emptying their pockets. Today after a flat, the problem starts.

I was talking to a neighbour yesterday at the mailbox. His comment is that everything in the box is bills and bills. All asking for payment.

Anyone who stops working will be buried in bills.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

Empires and/ or ruling dynasties can last many centuries. In the case of the Romans it went for 1200 years. However the end is always tragic, because when you are big and powerful it is impossible to "go gracefully and peacefully".

There are always fights, and currency and economic collapses -- because to keep on financing the fight the incumbent power has to divert the entire economy toward war. In order to pay for the wars, the struggling empire resorts to:

1. Inflating the currency
2. Massive taxation and procurement of the private property of citizens
3. Massive borrowing by issuing debt
4. A combination of the above

Added to this is the decrease in personal freedoms and civil liberties. Everyone suspects everyone else of being a spy, a traitor, or the enemy in disguise. There are armed police/ military patrols everywhere, suspects are shot on sight -- no trials or rounded up for "interrogation".

So those who aspire to empire or dynasty are welcome to try their dreams.

I like my way the best: be loyal to no "cuntry, state or nation" (the permanent tourist mentality); bow to no "code" or "authority". Form trustworthy relationships with individuals you choose to associate with. Mind your own business, increase "values" (aka "wealth") and defend those "values" as your own private property. Do not agress against anyone or their property. Stay agile, mobile and under the radar.

Once you get involved in "race" -- foreigner vs local bullshit, rest assured it will be bloody. The idea of "nation-state" is a bullshit idea anyway. But it is a great "structure" to take over and control if you are an aspirant of empire and dynasty.

Since I don't believe and avoid such myths, I am happily entertained when the bullets start flying and blood runs down the streets. And of course when a general or the head of state gets killed -- fighting for their "cause" (another piece of bullshit) for the "greater good" (and there's another one) -- I pop open the champagne to celebrate!

My hotel has fine room service. Suck my dick, patriots. Go ahead, kill off the foreign invaders and overthrow your emperor. I wanna see. ;-)

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

There are many ways to say the same thing, and it has been said over and over,especially by yours truly in every forum where I comment on political issues.

Everything said and done, at the end of the day, we get the government we deserve and deserve the government we get. P. Ramamkrishnan, ALIRAN, Malaysia's oldest human rights advocay

"People deserve the government they get, and they deserve to get it good and hard." H.L.Mencken (one of my personal biggest influences)

Toute nation a le gouvernement qu'elle merite. translated: Every country has the government it deserves. Josephe de Maistre

In Russia, it is a common saying that every people deserve the government they choose. Vladimir Viardo

A people deserve the government they permit General R. Never, a pseudonym