Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Bismarck and Mother's Day

If Bismarck's mother had not sent him to a boarding school at age 6, would we have avoided WW II and possibly even WW I?

In Our Time reviewed the Iron Chancellor a few months back. I was left with the impression of a very talented and not particularly evil man who set up Germany and the world for colossal tragedy. If he'd had more mental flexibility, fewer internal demons he couldn't shake, less insecurity at the core of his massive confidence, could Germany have taken a far healthier route to modernity?

Boarding school at age 6 is not a good idea. Thus does one mother's personal error have non-trivial consequences. A thought my wife will doubtless treasure come Mother's Day ...

PS. Liberate In Our Time!

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