Posted by Eugene Volokh: <i>Non</i> the Just: http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2005_05_29-2005_06_04.shtml#1117582266
Some of what I hear about the likely causes of the non vote in the French referendum on the EU Constitution reminded me of the old story about the ostracism of Aristides the Just. Aristides the Just was indeed just, but was banished nonetheless by his fellow citizens. It is said that when the vote on his banishment was taking place, an illiterate farmer asked Aristides -- not knowing whom he was asking -- to mark the potsherd ballot for him. "What name should I put down?," asked Aristides. "Aristides," said the farmer. "Why? What did he ever do to you?" "Oh, nothing. I'm just tired of hearing him called Aristides the Just all the time." The farmer's thinking, of course, is not sound. (As best I can tell from what I've read recently, the substantive arguments for the French "no" vote weren't very sound, either; and peevishness at the political classes' seeming arrogance doesn't strike me as a great reason to vote no.) But it does reflect a real trait in human nature, a trait that politicians are wise to remember. _______________________________________________ Volokh mailing list [email protected] http://highsorcery.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/volokh
