A Writer Who Philosophically Supported the American Revolution

Published in Mainichi Shimbun
(Japan) on 9 January 2021
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Eric Stimson. Edited by Gillian Palmer.
Thomas Paine, a writer who philosophically supported the American Revolution, said of representative democracy that “what Athens was in miniature America will be in magnitude. The one was the wonder of the ancient world; the other is becoming the admiration of the present.” American democracy’s initial intent was to be a new Athens. The U.S. Capitol is part of the neoclassical historical buildings in Washington, D.C. that model themselves on ancient Greece and Rome. But we must not forget that after Athenian democracy passed its glory, it declined and fell due to agitating politicians and mob rule.

The German word demagog* describes that kind of agitating politician, inciting the people’s fear and rage with exuberant speeches and converting that passion into power. Now everyone knows whom we’re speaking of. The scandal brought about by this agitation was unheard of in American politics. This was the storming and occupation of the Capitol by Donald Trump’s supporters, which led to five deaths. The president himself instigated the march on the Capitol, and afterward he called them “patriots.” That he quickly pivoted to criticizing the incident is likely because he realized how severe the situation was. Bipartisan criticism erupted over the assault on the “temple” of American democracy, and demands to remove the president spread. Resignations of cabinet secretaries and high officials came one after another, and an isolated Trump pledged a smooth transition to the Joe Biden administration, which the media reported as his first acknowledgment of his election defeat.

Quickly changing positions is par for the course for a demagogue, and it’s hard to feel calm even when we hear the usual words of healing and reconciliation. Decline or revival? Such is the crossroads of the new Athens, which has welcomed the era of demagogy.

*Translator’s note: This is the equivalent of the English word “demagogue,” which is Greek in origin.


米独立革命を思想的に支えた文筆家、トマス・ペインはいう。「米国の代表民主政こそ古代アテナイの民主主義を大規模に、より完全に実現させた」。新しいアテナイをめざした米民主主義の初心であった▲首都ワシントンの歴史的建造物も古代ギリシャやローマを理想とする新古典主義様式で、米国会議事堂もその一つという。だがアテナイの民主政がその栄光を極めた後に、扇動政治家と衆愚政治により衰亡したのも忘れてはいけない▲ドイツ語のデマゴーグとはその手の扇動政治家で、派手な弁舌で民衆の恐怖や怒りをあおり、その熱狂を権力に変えた。こう言えば今なら誰しもあの人物が頭に浮かぶ。その扇動が巻き起こした米民主政治の前代未聞(ぜんだいみもん)の不祥事である▲5人の死者も出たトランプ大統領支持派による議事堂乱入、占拠事件だった。議事堂への行進を促したのは大統領自身で、事件後も彼らを「愛国者」と呼んだ。それが急に事件の非難に転じたのは、事の重大さをさとったからだろう▲米民主主義の“聖(せい)廟(びょう)”襲撃には超党派の非難が噴出、大統領罷免(ひめん)要求も広がった。閣僚や高官の辞任表明も相次ぎ、孤立したトランプ氏はバイデン氏への円滑な政権の移行を約束、メディアは氏が選挙の敗北を初めて認めたと報じた▲変わり身の早さはデマゴーグのそれたるゆえんで、その口から突然「癒やしと和解」の言葉を聞いても安心はできまい。衰亡か、それとも復活か。デマゴーグの時代を迎えた「新しいアテナイ」の岐路(きろ)である。
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