Tuesday, February 08, 2005

Supervised self-government

Broadbent: "Never despair, Larry. There are great possibilities for Ireland. Home Rule will work wonders under English guidance."
...
Doyle: "I'm sure you are serious, Tom, about the English guidance."
Broadbent: "Of course I am. Our guidance is the important thing. We English must place our capacity for government without stint at the service of nations who are less fortunately endowed in that respect; so as to allow them to develop in perfect freedom to the English level of self-governement, you know. You understand me?


from: George Bernard Shaw, John Bull's Other Island.

Meanwhile, The Tomb carries an excerpt from an unconvincing dramatic skit in which various imperialist cliches are trotted out and C.Hitchens is shadowed by a rather scary sycophant.