The phrase "Divide and conquer!" Who said, you know? What does "divide and rule" mean and who guided this principle?

One of the political principles of action towards external enemies at all times was the appeal: "Divide and conquer!" Who said these words, under what circumstances they originated and how their semantic load has changed over the centuries, we will now try to understand. Also consider those models of states that, roughly speaking, are amenable to this statement, and try to track the historical course of events within their borders.

Where did these words come from and when did they appear?

First, let's try to delve into the very origin of the very term "Divide and conquer". Who said it, is completely unknown, since the phrase itself appeared in its pure form in legal written sources only in the 19th century. She was present in the letter of the German author Heinrich Heine, where he points out that for the first time this phrase was uttered by the famous Macedonian ruler Philip, the father of Alexander the Great. However, it is difficult to attribute this political principle strictly to the Macedonian ruling elite of those remote times, since it took place in many other countries that existed in the ancient period. For example, according to the generally accepted version, historians believe that such a policy took a fundamental position in the politics of the Roman Empire, since the very expression "divide et impera" in most sources sounds exactly in Latin. It is believed that this was the most common form of government of the Roman Senate, their credo for life.

Where is the birthplace of this term?

Since these words have become a kind of political bulwark for many powers that were on the Earth map earlier, nowadays many nations rewrite them on the pages of their history. Well, let's consider one more version about the belonging of the phrase "Divide and conquer". Whoever said these words, the French know, or at least think they know. According to their version it was King Louis XI in his lifetime (he lived and ruled in the 15th century), said: "Diviser pour regner", which translates as "divide to reign."

However, in the 19th century the French philosopher Pierre Joseph Proudhon also slightly altered this phrase , saying "Divide and conquer" in Latin. He often sneered at this term, saying that by sharing, you will become rich, you will become a king, you will be able to conquer all people and laugh at justice.

A paradoxical exception is enough

It is important to know that, according to all existing documentary sources, this political formulation can not have ancient roots. "Divide and conquer" in Latin first heard from the mouth of the Frenchman Proudhon, and in all documentation and laws related to the period of the Roman Empire, such words are not. The only thing that makes historians think about the fact that this information was simply lost is the complete correspondence to these words of the very policy of the ancient senate. After all, it was the Roman Empire that at that time conquered states that differed in separatist social aspects. It was these words, in their direct or slightly modified form, that were the basis of the conduct of politics by all the emperors and procurators of this powerful power.

The meaning and essence of the term in political science

If we speak about this statement exclusively at the level of theory, that is, describe the principle of its operation, the basis and the premise, then we can come to the following conclusion. The political principle of "divide and rule" is a form of sovereign rule, predominantly in those countries that consist of different parts. These parts, in turn, can differ from each other according to the ethnic composition of the population, by culture and traditions or even by descent (if the state consists of previously separate countries that were conquered by one person). This policy states that it is possible to keep such a "machine" under control only by constantly maintaining conflicts between all the existing parties in the country. It should also be noted that most often this tactic is secretive, that is, inciting and supporting conflicts of political and social level is conducted secretly. In a fraudulent way, local authorities as well as the masses are involved.

What does "Divide and conquer" mean in history?

Observing the events that occurred during the period of the Roman Empire, you can most accurately track the operation of these words. Countries that submitted to this Latin ancient people often waged civil wars, they witnessed clashes between people belonging to different cultural strata to different communities and cultures. Among these, Egypt is the most vivid example, which was completely conquered by its northern sea neighbor. A lot of territories the Roman Empire annexed itself in the Middle East. Virtually the entire Eastern Mediterranean was at the full disposal of prosecutors, and at the same time, Roman culture, religion, customs and political order were added to their civil skirmishes and inconsistencies.

How does this principle work today?

According to modern political scientists, the most powerful and powerful way to manage large groups of people is precisely the theory that sounds like "Divide and conquer". Who said that a large group can be defeated by a small group of people who are at the head of the state? Exactly, it is much easier to manage separate groups of the people, which, proving each other's importance and superiority, will gradually exhaust their resources, therefore, they will become weaker and weaker. Having distributed representatives of local authorities in each region (as the Romans used to appoint prosecutors in their provinces), which are completely subordinate to the central government, it is much easier to keep everything under control, without fear of an uprising.

Such a form of government - in secret, however, form, is observed in many large countries of our globe.

How our complicated world works ...

It should be noted that the rulers began to divide and rule since the moment the state was born as such, and this phenomenon was observed in all regions of our world. One can say with full confidence that this tactic is a political, social and psychological stronghold, thanks to which not only the great states and empires of our world exist, but also develop. The principle of "Divide and conquer" most clearly manifests itself in those societies where three or more noble families compete, a large number of communities, each of which has its own history and traditions.

The most paradoxical thing is that the participants themselves agree with this statement. Since all of them are under the auspices of one single top, no one can become more priority and the best in this endless cold struggle. And at the same time, the "general" power itself wins - the masses and representatives of local government will never rise up against it. They are too busy proving each other's importance and importance.

Take a closer look at each country, its regions and districts - and you will certainly find in all this a cultural split over which one king wisely governs.