When the powerful become too powerful in their own countries and, while holding power over a long period, dissipate not only the whole national wealth but also the intellectual wealth of their state, there are still many people in many countries who are surprised when, here and there, overnight, and, in the nature of things, frequently in the most barbarous manner, those in power are assassinated and anarchy reigns. We can call it luck, said the professor from that state from which he could have fled and in which the prime minister had been assassinated the week before. When the professor returned to his own country, however, he was immediately arrested at the frontier and thrown into prison in spite of the fact that a new prime minister, and one totally opposed to the one who had been assassinated, had assumed power in the meantime.

Political Science

POLITICAL SCIENCE

The president of the country in Central Europe in which the president goes in fear of his life every minute of the day—and for good reason—told his confidant of a plan he had forged during hundreds of sleepless nights whereby it would be possible for the president to desert the state that he—in common with all the other presidents in eastern Europe—had brought to total ruin, and to take with him such a large fortune that he would be assured of a long and secure life of luxury in an ideally suited foreign country. He said that he wished to realize his plan as soon as possible but that it was essential for his confidant to keep absolutely quiet about the whole affair. The confidant, who had for decades enjoyed the confidence of the president, promised the president that he would remain silent, and for his part the president promised the confidant a fortune large enough to make it possible for the confidant, after he had fled, to live to the end of his days, like the president, in a carefree and truly luxurious manner. The president and his confidant had scarcely been in agreement for two minutes before the confidant simplified the whole affair by killing the president with a skillful shot through the base of the skull and proclaiming himself president. In a trice he liquidated all the supporters of his predecessor and role model and made a confidant out of the man who shot the greatest number of supporters. Since he was already aware of the perfect example of political science, he merely waited, in the nature of things, for the most favorable opportunity for getting rid of his confidant before the latter should liquidate him. But he acted too slowly.

Consistency

CONSISTENCY