MACHIAVELLI OUTDATED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 August 1939, Page 6

MACHIAVELLI OUTDATED

EXPERIENCE OF CENTURIES.

Machiavelli is quoted by Mr Anthony Eden in a recent article as saying: ’Everyone admits how praisworthy it is in princes to keep faith, and to live with integrity, and not with craft. Nevertheless our experience has been that those princes who have done great things have held good faith of little account, and have known how to circumvent the intellect of men by craft, and in the end have overcome those who have placed reliance on their word.” For our present purpose, Mr Eden remarks, it is not necessary to determine whether Machiavelli’s con tention has so far been borne out by the experience of the centuries. The essential fact is that the greater interdependence of the modern world, the constant contacts, the reduction and indeed the virtual elimination of the problems which distance once created, have rendered the conduct of international affairs on such a basis impossible. Whatever the experience of the past, down that road now lies international anarchy or war. So it is that at this niomen we Brifish seek, and other Governments seek with us. the co operation of all States who wish to maintain certain standards of good faith between nations.