I have previously made a historical comparison to this affection with that found in Tsarist Russia. The Russian peasants were some of the most oppressed peoples in history. They lived as virtual slaves until the mid-19th century, and even after emancipation, were ruthlessly exploited by corrupt bureaucrats and merciless landowners.
Yet, even given the misery of their lives and all of the flat-out evidence to the contrary, the peasants continued to believe that their "little father" loved and cared for them, and it was only because his corrupt ministers kept the truth from him that he did not help. Here is an example from 1906:
I can speak with certainty of the common people's confidence in the personal kindness of the Tsar. The heavy, dull faces of the Russian peasants - surely the heaviest, dullest faces on the whole earth - will light up at the name of the Little Father. At all events, I saw them shine at the sound of it, and I think it unlikely that there can have been any great changes among the masses since then.
A singular instance of this came under my own observation. The waiter who served me at the hotel table was rather above his class. He was an art student, and knowing, as everybody knew, that I was painting the Tsar, made an appeal for help. He said that he could not study to advantage in Russia and that he could never hope to make a living there by his art, yet he could not go away, as he had not served his time in the army. Twice he had offered himself for service, and had been found too delicate for the standard of army regulations.
Explaining all this, he begged me to state his cause to the Tsar, feeling sure that the Little Father would grant his request to be allowed to leave Russia. I also felt quite certain of the generous response, and was truly distressed when, on consulting a diplomat, I was strongly advised against naming any political matter during my visits to the Winter Palace.
If only Father George really knew, he would do the right thing!
Right.
1 comment:
Just saw a documentary on the History Channel about cannibalism. Seems that those same peasants that Pete was writing about often had to resort to it. Given the horrible financial restrictions put upon the lower class, many were too poor to even afford food for their families. You can guess the rest......
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