maintenance and development of its own power and well-being.
Egoism – if you call this egoism – is the supreme principle of all
politics. The State can only have regard to the interest of any other
State so far as this can be identified with its own interests. Self devotion
is the principle for the individual; self assertion for the State. The
maintenance of the State justifies every sacrifice, and is superior to
every moral rule.(10)
Rumelin is brutally frank, but Lord Grey has expressed the same
sentiment in milder language:
I am a great lover of morality, public and private; but the intercourse of
nations cannot be strictly regulated by that rule.(11)
While Burke was denouncing the Revolution, Walpole wrote:
No great country was ever saved by good men, because good men will
not go to the lengths that may be necessary.(12)
Prof. C.E.M. Joad makes the following observations:
The practical effect of idealist theory in its bearing upon the relations
between States is, therefore, to create a double standard of morality.
There is one system of morals for the individual and another for the
State so that men who, in private life, are humane, honest and trust-
worthy, believe that, when they have dealings on the State's behalf with
the representatives of other States, they are justified in behaving in
ways of which as private individuals, they would be heartily ashamed.(13)
Cavour has given this view in a nutshell:
If we did for ourselves what we do for our country, what rascals we
should be.(14)
The general acceptance by the West of the creed of nationalism
has had three unfortunate results:
- Humanity has divided into a number of Nation States with
conflicting interests: - A powerful nation was tempted to exploit the weaker
nations on the pretext of safeguarding its interests. - The absence of moral restraint turned the world, as
Wakeman has rightly observed, "into an arena of beasts,
with only one principle in view, that is, might is right."(15)
It is in fact the Machiavellian spirit which had dominated the
Western mind in the modern age. The Western rulers have taken to
heart Machiavelli's cynical advice in his Prince:
A prince being thus obliged to know well how to act as a beast must
imitate the fox and the lion, for the lion cannot protect himself from
Political System 220