Sunday, 16 February 2003

From the ink-stained logs of the HMS Clueless, circa 1774:

Recently I Argued (Passionately) that His Majesty's Government must make some sort of Concrete Gesture towards the Massachusetts Colony, which would cause it Serious Harm, in response to the Boston Tea Party and other Acts of Sedition against the British Crown. I do not think we should do such a Thing because I demand Revenge; the Reason is that we need to Establish a Deterrent. When the other Colonies start thinking they may gain by policies Opposing the British Empire, they need also Be Aware that there will be Costs associated with such Policies, and to Consider that the Costs would outweigh the gain.

In my last monograph on the Subject, I did not specify what we Ought To Do, as I could not Elucidate my thoughts clearly enough at the time. Since that date, however, I have learned of Parliament's proposal to Punish Massachusetts by closing the Port of Boston until the Colonists pay for the Destroyed Tea.

This Boston Port Act and others like it, which the Colonists have Called the "Coercive Acts," will force other Colonies, dependent as they are on British Trade and Security, to think twice about standing up to Britain in the future.

I am told that one Source informed the London papers, "We are doing this for one reason only: to harm the Massachusetts economy. Why should we not punish a Colony that has treated the Crown, and the Protection we've provided for decades, with such incredible contempt?"

Indeed, the American Colonies sleep under a Blanket of Security provided by Britain, and without the Crown's assistance could not even Defend against the French and Indians. That the Colonists object to the Manner in which we Provide this Blanket, and against paying their Fair Share of the Cost (through the reasonable Tax that Parliament has imposed on Tea) shows only the Ingratitude of these Impudent Colonials.

It is possible that these coercive Acts could cause long-term Resentment. But in the short run, it is difficult to Fathom why any Colony, when it saw Massachusetts being Crushed for its Active Belligerence, would decide that becoming Actively Belligerent against the Crown is a Good Idea. At this point I will settle for Resentful Support in preference to Active Opposition.

One of the reasons Massachusetts and other Colonies have been willing to defy the Crown is because they had a Perception that we would not Retaliate. Thus there was little or no Risk, but plenty of potential for Gain. The cost-benefit analysis thus said that Opposing the Crown was a Good Idea.

That is what Must Change. We must Make an Example of Massachusetts, so that anyone else considering a similar Path will decide the Risk is too great. We will use Carrots with our friends, but we're past due to start using Sticks on our enemies. A successful Colonial policy must involve Both.

As to Long Term Resentment, I think History will take care of that. Our only Choice in the short run is between being Feared and being Held in Contempt. Massachusetts must Pay for what she has done to us, or we will Stand Exposed as cowards whose threats and demands can be ignored with impunity. We must become Bullies, and the American Colonies must be crushed.

Timeless words, I think. Let's try it on the Germans.

- Posted by Scott Forbes at 12:36 pm. comments.