Mr Leo Strauss - agree/disagre with statement posted

[jaz]

"He [Leo Strauss] saw the world, basically, as made up of groups that are pitted against each other in mutual hatred and animosity. You either destroy your enemy or you're destroyed by your enemy. Political society has to be organized in a way that makes the enemy very paramount, always somehow in view. Only the prevalence of the enemy will keep people united, will keep them together, will keep them strong. So, if you don't have any enemies then you better follow the advice of Macchiavellie and invent some." - Professor Shadia Drury, April 27, 2005, CBC

question - "Does History agree with Strauess's assesment?

my proof thus far is french revolutions and 1 more......can anyone help me agree with this statement by using time periods and events in history....such as WWI

[jaz]

WW1 example with czars...

[tjadams]

The Cold War sure fueled a few generations fears.

[jaz]

The Cold War sure fueled a few generations fears.

WOW...i cant believe i dismissed the cold wars.....thank you sooo muchh xD soo i have cold wars, WW I and i think revolutions...seem ok? or should i be adding a bit more...

[jaz]

bump xD

[Black Dog]

Absolutely positively the Nazis. Hitler "created" a multinational racial enemy and also an ideological enemy in the Communist, and oppressive enemies in the allies (France, America, Britain) as well as a "hostile" enemy in Poland. At no other time has the dicta "destroy or be destroyed" been followed so closely. Nazi propaganda was a relentless drive to make people aware of these enemies- and ultimately, the Nazis managed to create an enemy within: those accused of being "racial traitors" and of "un-German" attitudes.

Similar to the latter point was the McCarthy "witchhunts", John Birch and all. The Phrase "Un-American" became common, and there were "reds everywhere".

You could also mention the Bolshevik revolution and Stalin's subsequent purges. Soviet dogma meant that anyone not "with" the USSR must be against it, and class was a major defining factor. They really could not do anything else but murder the Romanovs, but Stalin eventually followed this up by removing not just "White Russians"- aristocrats usually accused of counter- revolutionary leanings- but also those he held to have dubious loyalty to himself. Trotskyites, in particular, were allegedly as "common" as "commies" in America ! Convergent evolution at work :)