第11章 組織体の生物学 n.12 - 国家安定のための情報管理・情報統制
現代の技術は -メッセージの伝達の迅速性を通してだけでなく,鉄道や電信や自動車輸送や政府の宣伝なども通して- 昔よりもずっと大規模な帝国に安定を与えることを可能にしてきている。(これに対し)古代ペルシャ帝国の(地方)総督(satraps)や古代ローマ帝国の地方総督(proconsuls)は容易に反乱を起こせる自立性を十分持っていた。アレクサンダー大王の帝国も大王の死と共に瓦解した(fall apart ばらばらに壊れる)。アッテイラやジンギス汗の帝国もつかのまのものであった。ヨーロッパの諸国家も新世界における所有物(アメリカ大陸その他)の大部分を失った。しかし,現代の技術を備えた大部分の帝国は,外部からの攻撃を受けたとき以外はかなり安全であり,革命は,敗戦後に予想されるだけである(戦争に敗れなければ革命は起こりそうもない)。 |
Chapter XI: The Biology of Organizations, n.12It is not only the absolute rapidity in the transmission of messages that is important, but also, and still more, the fact that messages travel faster than human beings. Until little over a hundred years ago, neither messages nor anything else could travel faster than a horse. A highwayman could escape to a neighbouring town, and reach it before the news of his crime. Now-a-days, since news arrives first, escape is more difficult. In time of war all rapid means of communication are controlled by governments, and this greatly increases their power.Modern technique, not only through the rapidity in the transmission of messages, but also through railways, telegraph, motor traffic, and governmental propaganda, has made large empires much more capable of stability than they were in former times. Persian satraps and Roman proconsuls had enough independence to make rebellion easy. Alexander's empire fell apart at his death. The empires of Attila and Jenghis Khan were transitory; and the nations of Europe lost most of their possessions in the New World. But with modern technique most empires are fairly safe except against external attack, and revolution is only to be expected after defeat in war. |