Prince Mechow, he said, was historically the culminating figure of
the national development of Meccania. Compared with many countries
in Europe, Meccania could not boast a long history. Some historians
sought a false glory for Meccania by tracing its greatness back to the
so-called Roman Empire of the Middle Ages, but true Meccanian history
went back only a few hundred years. In fact, it was not until the
eighteenth century that the Meccanian State in the proper sense of the
word began, and only in the nineteenth century did it take its place
among the powers of the modern world. In the nineteenth century the
Meccanian State was saved by the genius and will of one great man, the
worthy predecessor of Prince Mechow, his great-uncle Prince BLUDIRON.
From a scientific or philosophical point of view it was difficult
to say whether Prince Bludiron had not contributed as much to the
greatness of Meccania as Prince Mechow; for it was he, undoubtedly, who
laid the foundations upon which the final structure rested. The work
of Prince Bludiron was very different from, but also similar in spirit
to, the work of Prince Mechow. His task had been to rescue the young
and inexperienced State from the perils and distractions of the false
ideals of Liberty and Democracy, to secure the power of the State over
all sections and classes, to create the proud and confident Meccanian
spirit and to set the nation on the right path.
The task of Prince Mechow was to erect the Super-State on the
foundations laid by Prince Bludiron; in other words, to organise the
energies of the whole nation to one supreme end, to train and direct
the powers of every individual so as to produce one mind and one will.
Turning to the work of Prince Bludiron, the Professor said that when
he began his work Meccania was distracted by false and conflicting
ideals, of foreign origin. Revolution was in the air. People were ready
to drive out their lawful rulers. Popular government was demanded.
Parliaments were being set up. It was the saddest page in Meccanian
history. Had these anarchic forces triumphed, Meccania would have sunk
to the level of other nations, and the Super-State would never have
arisen. It was the greatest testimony to the intellectual genius and
moral power of Prince Bludiron that, after forty years of strenuous
work, the whole outlook for Meccania was completely changed. The false
ideal of individual liberty was dead and buried. Popular government
was a discredited superstition. The military aristocracy were secure
in their rightful position. The efficiency of the Government was
demonstrated in every direction, and not least on the field of battle.
Wars had been won with a rapidity unprecedented in any age.
Prince Bludiron's success was so complete that it was almost impossible
for us now to realise how great his difficulties had been. So strong
were the forces of Democracy that even he had to temporise and set up a
Parliament. He even granted manhood suffrage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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