Editorial note: If you have not yet read our mission statement above, please do so in order that you can put our blogs in context. 

 31 October 2013

To be defeated but not to surrender: that is victory.

Marshal Józef Piłsudski (1867-1935), Polish nationalist and first President of Poland (1918-1922). Mounted a military coup d’état in 1926 and set up a government consisting of his own protégés. Fiercely anti-Russian.

This attitude of defiance when confronted with defeat was famously adopted earlier by the Napoleonic General Pierre Vicomte de Cambronne (1770-1842), who commanded first regiment of foot chasseurs at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Invited to surrender by the British, who won the battle, he replied with the brisk vulgarism “Merde!” (Literally “Shit!”but the meaning “Like hell I will!”).

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 You might perhaps care to view some of our earlier posts.  For instance:

1. Why? or How? That is the question (3 Jan 2012)

2. Partitocracy v. Democracy (20 July 2012)

3. The shoddiest possible goods at the highest possible prices (2 Feb 2012)

4. Capitalism in practice  (4 July 2012) 

5.Ladder  (21 June 2012)

 6. A tale of two cities (1)  (6 June 2012)

 7. A tale of two cities (2)  (7 June 2012)

 8. Where’s the beef? Ontology and tinned meat (31 Jan 2012)

Every so often we shall change this sample of previously published posts.

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