Confucius, he say about Britain

The other day I was reading Vanessa Hansen's beautifully lucid monograph on Chinese history and stumbled upon a very profound quote.

"Lead them by political maneuvers, restrain them with punishments: the people will become cunning and shameless. Lead them by virtue, restrain them with ritual: they will develop a sense of shame and a sense of participation."

Although the latter statement does not touch on the horrors and vices of Victorian Britain, it does succinctly describe the better sides of its spirit. On the other hand, Blair's Broken Britain, enveloped in the tight blanket of industrially produced PR lies and world's most numerous CCTV cameras, uncannily fits the former description.

Amazing, innit: something said in the 7th century BC still holds true.