“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves”. 

                        CONFUCIUS.

The Orphan of Zhao is a Chinese play from the Yuan dynasty, attributed to the 13th-century dramatist Ji Junxiang (紀君祥). VOLTAIRE ADAPTED IT TO THE TIME OF THE MONGOLS AND GENGHIS KHAN… THIS IS A BRIEF STORYLINE :

Duke Ling is the ruler of the Jin state.

In his court, Minister Zhao Dun and General Tu'an Gu are two of his most influential subordinates. However, Tu'an Gu had a deep hatred for Zhao Dun. He wants to destroy his rival, Zhao Dun, and exterminate his family. General Tu'an Gu succeeds in framing Zhao Dun, and slaughters 300 members of the Zhao family.  Thereafter, a decree is forged in Duke Ling’s name to order the death of Zhao Shuo — the son of Zhao Dun. 

Zhao Shuo had been spared from the massacre as he was married to Lady Zhuang, the daughter of Duke Ling. When Zhao Shuo received the forged decree, he commits suicide.

First act

Zhao Shuo and his wife had been expecting a child, but the infant is born after his father's death. Tu'an Gu, intending to get rid of the newborn infant, orders General Han Jue to surround the palace. Lady Zhuang entrusts her newborn child to the physician Cheng Ying. However, she knew that she would be pressured to reveal where her child is, thus she took her own life.

Entrusted to keep the child safe, Cheng Ying attempts to escape with the child hidden in his medicine chest. As he departs through the palace gates, he is stopped and questioned by Han Jue. Han Jue discovered the child. However, troubled by compassion, he allows Cheng Ying and the infant to escape. Thereafter he commits suicide by taking his sword to his throat, knowing he will be tortured about the orphan.

Second act

After these events, Tu'an Gu threatens to kill every infant in Jin, if the Zhao orphan is not produced. To prevent this massacre, Cheng Ying sacrifices his own child so that the safety of the Zhao orphan and every infant in the state is ensured.

Third act

Gongsun Chujiu departs with Cheng's child, whom he presents as the Zhao orphan. Gongsun and the child are found and murdered. Cheng Ying silently weeps for his own child before he parts with him.

Fourth act

Twenty years pass since the third act. Cheng Ying has taken care of the orphan.The Zhao orphan, now known as Cheng Bo, has reached maturity. General Tu'an Gu has no child of his own, thus he has adopted the Zhao orphan, unknowingly of his true identity, and named him Tu Cheng. On a fateful day, the orphan is in Cheng Ying's study, and discovers a scroll depicting the people involved in the tragic events relating to his early life. 

Cheng Ying decides to reveal to the orphan his true origins.

Fifth act

After discovering the truth, the Zhao orphan kills Tu'an Gu in the streets to avenges his family. The orphan, now known as Zhao Wu, is reinstated with his family titles and properties. 

WHAT HAS THIS TO DO WITH US? DYNASTIES… MANY RULERS, INCLUDING MODERN ONES AND THOSE DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED, OFTEN WORK HARD TO ESTABLISH A RULING DYNASTY — OR A CONTINUUM OF PURPOSE. THINK OF THE KENNEDY’S AND THE BUSH’S…

DESPITE DEMOCRACY, WE ARE STILL UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A FORM OF ENLIGHTENED ABSOLUTISM WHICH BEGAN IN THE 18TH CENTURY… 

NAPOLEON, HITLER, MUSSOLINI, FRANCO…

Enlightened absolutists held that royal power emanated not from divine right but from a social contract whereby a despot was entrusted with the power to govern through a social contract in lieu of any other governments. The monarchs of enlightened absolutism strengthened their authority by improving the lives of their subjects. The monarch’s taking responsibility for his subjects precluded their political participation.

The difference between an absolutist and an enlightened absolutist is based on a broad analysis of the degree to which they embraced the Age of Enlightenment. Historians debate the actual implementation of enlightened absolutism. They distinguish between the "enlightenment" of the ruler personally, versus that of his regime. For example, Frederick the Great was tutored in the ideas of the French Enlightenment in his youth, and maintained those ideas in his private life as an adult, but in many ways was unable or unwilling to effect enlightened reforms in practice. Other rulers such as the Marquis of Pombal, prime minister of Portugal, used the ideas and practices of the Enlightenment not only to achieve reforms but also to enhance autocracy, crush opposition, suppress criticism, advance colonial economic exploitation, and consolidate personal control and profit.

THIS HAS BEEN THE RECENT POLITICAL STATE OF MANY COUNTRIES: BIDEN (VIA HIS TROOPS OF NINGNONGS — BLINKEN, SULLIVAN ET AL), MACRON, SCHOLZ, ORBAN, EDORGAN, THE NATO LEADERS, PAST AND PRESENT, ARABIC RULING FAMILY SUCH AS PRINCE MBS....

TRUMP COULD BE AN ABSOLUTIST WITH A CERTAIN GAMUT IN MERCANTILE ENLIGHTENMENT, WHILE PUTIN DOES NOT FIT THE BILL OF AN ABSOLUTIST PER SE, BUT IS SOMEWHAT ENLIGHTENED ABOUT THE WEIGHT OF HISTORY AND OF THE IMPORTANCE OF KIN, AND DECREES ACCORDINGLY.

IF DEMOCRACY WAS TRUE TO ITSELF, WE WOULD HAVE TO VOTE ON ISSUES EVERY WEEK, NOT ON PERSONALITIES AND "THEIR" PROGRAMME" — OFTEN SUBJECT TO DECEIT — EVERY FOUR YEARS. AND WE SHOULD WORK AT OUR ENLIGHTENMENT OF THOUGHTS, NOT ON MEDIA MANAGED PORKIES...

JUST A FEW THOUGHTS...

AND TO END THIS STRANGE DISSERTATION, HERE IS A CHARACTER WE HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED WHO INFLUENCED MUCH OF MODERN POLITICS:

Charles Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu (18 January 1689 – 10 February 1755), generally referred to as simply Montesquieu, was a French judge, man of letters, historian, and political philosopher.

He is the principal source of the theory of separation of powers, which is implemented in many constitutions throughout the world. He is also known for doing more than any other author to secure the place of the word despotism in the political lexicon. His anonymously published The Spirit of Law (1748), which was received well in both Great Britain and the American colonies, influenced the Founding Fathers of the United States in drafting the U.S. Constitution.

SO THERE....

YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.