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6. 2. 2012

Cardinal Richelieu was the Chief Minister to Louis X111 (1624 -1642).
Despite his sinister depiction in Dumas’ The Three Musketeers, he was the
King’s advisor on matters of strategy and State. His fine judgement in practical
matters (his prudence) are a matter of record.

He wrote: ‘There is nothing so hidden as the effects of prudence since these
consist, primarily, of avoiding evils by forestalling them, so that, when they
do not occur, after being prevented, few people are capable of understanding
that they might have happened. This is the reason why, often, services of this
type are not much valued, although, these are the greatest that anyone could
offer since it is clear that, just as the doctor achieves more by preventing sickness
than by curing it, so Ministers of State are more meritorious when they avert
trouble and uprisings than when they destroy them once they have occurred.’

In the accountancy driven medical world, early detection and prevention
costs too much for any nation to afford. Doctors and Ministers of State
now draw their kudos, not from preventing problems but from publicising how
well they have responded to them. Because we are ruled by commitees that
must stick to their given political agenda, prudence is hardly theirs to practice.

Somewhat later in French history, Robespierre made sure that those in office towed
the party (revolutionary) line. Madame Guillotine awaited the dissenters. A less final
fall from power awaits those who would now chose to use prudence regardless of their
political and financial commitee obligations. I guess nothing much changes! It would, of
course, be naieve to think otherwise.