Bakunin: Lying by Diplomacy

[Michael K.]

Mikhail Bakunin (1814-1876), Russian political philosopher:

"Lying by diplomacy.  Diplomacy has no other mission.  Every time a State wants to declare war on another State, it starts off by launching a manifesto aimed not only at its own subjects, but to the whole world."

"In this manifesto it declares that right and justice are on its side and endeavors to prove that it is actuated by love of peace and humanity (and democracy), and that, imbued with generous and peaceful sentiments, it suffered a long time in silence until mounting iniquity of its enemy forced it to bear its sword."

"At the same time it vows that, disdainful of all material conquest, and not seeking any  increase in territory, it will put an end to this war as soon as justice is reestablished.  And its antagonists respond with a similar manifesto, in which, naturally, right, justice and humanity and all generous sentiments are to be found on its side.  These mutually opposed manifestoes are written with the same eloquence, they breath the same indignation, and one is just as sincere as the other, that is to say they are both brazen in their lies, and it is only fools who are decieved by them.  Sensible persons, all those who have some political experience do not even take the trouble of reading such manifestoes."