The Spartan Gestapo
|¥ we look at Sparta, we shall find a State in which ~ Hitler and Himmler, Goering and Goebbels, would have felt quite at home. The Spartans formed a militaristic community organised on Fascist principles. They controlled a land empire whose inhabitants greatly outnumbered them. To keep this empire in subjection, they followed two principles. Full political privileges and civil rights were reserved for the small body of full-blooded Spartans; and towards their subjects this privileged group adopted any methods of intimidation, whether open or concealed. Among the conquered peoples the lowest grade was.called the Helots. Virtually they were the slaves of their Spartan masters; and whenever they tried to rebel-as they did periodically-they were crushed by methods of terrorism, Each year,
when the highest Spartan official -the Ephors-took office, one of their first acts was to declare war on the Helots; which meant that they could use any ruthless measures to keep the Helots in their place, and it would be justified by religious laws. | had developed this terroristic system to such a pitch that they even organised a Gestapo. Its very name was "The Secret
Vepartment, and its filthy job was carried out by specially selected young Spartans-like the young Nazi thugs whom Hitler trained for his purposes.- (" Democracy and Fascism in Ancient Greece," Professor Leslie Lipson, 2YA July 14.)
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 110, 1 August 1941, Page 5
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223The Spartan Gestapo New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 110, 1 August 1941, Page 5
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