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If he is, then so did the mob revolutionaries. In fact, so did an HN poster right here in this thread: > The French Revolution was a step forward for humanity,
by johnnybgoode 17y ago
If he is, then so did the mob revolutionaries. In fact, so did an HN poster right here in this thread:
> The French Revolution was a step forward for humanity, no matter how messy it was.
(from http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=868344 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=868344)
The idea that the government should kill protesters might seem far too disrespectful of human life, but then, doesn't the word "messy" in the above quote evoke the same reaction?
- philwelch 17y agoThat was a bit of verbal slight-of-hand, yes. I meant to imply that if you're willing to say "the ends justify the means" to kill people at Tiananmen Square, you don't have very good standing to criticize the French Revolution, because it's in fact easier to make that same argument about the French Revolution than it is about Tiananmen Square.
- johnnybgoode 17y ago> it's in fact easier to make that same argument about the French Revolution than it is about Tiananmen Square No, it isn't, because your argument depends on the "end" being an escape from "absolute monarchism" into democracy. Even if you believe the ends justify the means in general, the argument doesn't work when the end result is not very good.
- philwelch 17y agoI'm still not sold on the benefits of an absolute monarchy.
- johnnybgoode 17y agoThe problem is, it's far from self-evident that democracy is better.
- philwelch 17y agoIt depends on the monarch.