(Book Review)
Movements
and organizations have brought in radical changes that transformed societies
and cultures all over the world. Most of these happened because of certain
individuals who initiated, strengthened and spearheaded the movement. Their
charismatic and captivating presence have instilled vigour and enthusiasm among
the people. Most effective instrument that stimulated and influenced millions
was the historic speeches made by these great individuals. Many such speeches
have relegated over time to oblivion. Interested readers had to search for the
same in available biographies. Researchers had to explore the archival data to
get the finer details. Present generation is fortunate to have a glance on some
of these great speeches.
Attempts made
by a few to compile some of the great speeches that left lasting impressions in
the history of the world are appreciable. One such compilation is exceptional
for the selection of speeches and unique style and presentation. The book, under review is published by
Quercus Publishing Co London with the title, ‘Speeches that Changed the World’.
The book has made a beautiful presentation of the words and stories of the
moments that made history.
The
compilation starts with a wonderful introduction by the historian and writer
Simon Sebag Montefiore (who wrote the famous book ‘Stalin: the Court of the RedTsar’). It contains thought provoking and inspiring speeches by about 50
historical figures. The cover picture is of Nelson Mandela waving to the crowd
from the lectern with his charismatic smile. The book contains speeches from
Moses, Jesus Christ, Mohammed, George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte, AdolphHitler, Emperor Hirohito, Martin Luther King Jr, Indira Gandhi, Mother Theresa,
Mikhail Gorbachev, to name a few. For Montefiore, the best speech is one that
marks no great event but merely pinpoints with splendid language, moral rigour
and righteous fury, ‘the essence of all decent civilization’. He is influenced
very much by the speech of Elie Wiesel ( who is a writer famous for his witness
to the sufferings endured by Jews in the concentration camps of Nazi Germany)
on the ‘perils of indifference’ and invites readers to the thoughts on history
and the private individual beautifully presented by Wiesel.
There is
no uniform criterion in the selection of speeches in this volume. One cannot
find any uniform thread that connects any common theme. However, these speeches
unravel unique personality traits, ideological underpinnings, emotional
dimensions, public confessions, repentance, convictions, and double standards
of the respective speakers.
History of
the world is marred by frequent wars and rivalries, both covert and overt.
Obviously in most of these historic speeches, the main theme is either
inspiring people for renewed fight against the enemy or appealing people for
peace. The war-peace dichotomy is very much evident in different historical
periods. Wars were fought in the name of God. Even today the ‘Holy wars’
continue in different parts of the world.
Speakers took
the name of God to legitimize the war and violence. Saddam Hussain and George
Bush and many other rulers have just continued the historic divine
legitimization. Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1588) spoke against the potential
Spanish invaders. In her famous speech at Tilsbury near London, she said ‘we
shall shortly have a famous victory over those enemies of my God, of my kingdom
and of my people’. King Charles-I
(1600-1649) said ‘I have a good cause and a gracious God in my side’.
Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) believed that God had been behind his victories in
civil wars and that he had been chosen to enact God’s will on earth. He tried
to get rid of the parliament, to establish a ‘godly society’ in England. He
spoke, ‘..by God’s help, and the strength he has given me, I am now come to do,
I command you…..’.
Sources of the
speech and the version of the translation are not clearly given. This is very
important, especially of the non-English speeches of early centuries. In the
speech called the ‘The Sermon on the Mount’ by Jesus Christ, serial numbers for
the sentences should have been avoided as that will be confused with the
original numbers of the Biblical verses. Similarly, it would have been better
if the speech was presented in modern English rather than in the archaic style.
Anyone who is interested to understand these great
persons and the historical, cultural and political contexts of their times
shall pick up this book. This book would also provide the much needed
motivation to present day youth and students who aspire to become the leaders
of tomorrow.
Some of the excerpts that I found interesting in the
volume are given below.
The discoverer of radium invites all to the world of
experiments
‘There is always a vast field left to experimentation
and I hope that we may have some beautiful progress in the following years. It
is my earnest desire that some of you should carry on this scientific work and
keep for your ambition the determination to make a permanent contribution to
science’
(Marie Curie)
The champion of non-violence calls for giving the poor
their fair share
‘What did we witness in the great pandal in which the
foundation ceremony was performed by the Viceroy? Certainly a most gorgeous show, an exhibition
of jewellery, which made a splendid feast for the eyes of the greatest jeweller
who chose to come from Paris. I compare with the richly bedecked noble men the
millions of poor. And I feel like saying to these noble men, ‘There is no
salvation for India unless you strip yourself of this jewellery and hold it in
trust for your countrymen in India’. … Whenever I hear of a great palace rising
in any great city of India, be it in British India or be it in India which is
ruled by our great chiefs, I become jealous at once, and say ‘ Oh, it is the
money that has come from the agriculturists’. (Mahatma
Mohandas Gandhi)
Real power is people’s power
‘Only if power
is based, obviously and unconditionally, on a majority of the population can it
be stable during a popular revolution, i.e., a revolution which rouses the
people, the majority of workers and peasants, to action’ (Vladimir
Ilyich Lenin)
The words of the peace maker
‘We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no
indemnities for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall
cheerfully make. We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind. We
shall be satisfied when those rights have been made as secure as the faith and
the freedom of nations can make them.’ (Woodrow Wilson)
You Love and You get Peace
‘Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt
love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
But I say unto
you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate
you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you
For if ye love them which love you, what reward
have ye? Do not even the publicans the same?
And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more
than others? Do not even the publicans so?
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is
in heaven is perfect.’
(Jesus Christ)
Nehru’s vision of Globalism and Globalization
‘And so we have to labour and to work, and work hard,
to give reality to our dreams. Those dreams are for India, but they are also
for the world, for all nations and peoples are too closely knit together today
for any one of them to imagine that it can live apart. Peace has been said to
be indivisible; so is prosperity now, and so also is disaster in this one world
that can no longer be split into isolated fragments’
(Jawaharlal Nehru)
Ideal of a democratic and free society
‘I have fought against white domination, and I have
fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and
free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal
opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if
needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die’
(Nelson Mandela)
Let the oppressed go free
“So let us begin anew - remembering on both sides
that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to
proof.
Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never
fear to negotiate.
Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead
of belabouring those problems which divide us.
Let both sides, for the first time formulate serious
and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms, and bring the
absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all
nations.
Let us both sides seek to invoke the wonders of
science instead of its terrors. Together
let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap
the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce.
Let both sides unite to heed, in all corners of the
earth, the command of Isaiah – ‘to undo the heavy burdens…..and let the
oppressed go free’ ”
(John F Kennedy)
The dream came true
‘ I have a dream that my four little children will
one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their
skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. …..
……I have a dream that one day every valley shall be
exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will
be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of
the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together’
(Martin Luther King Jr)
The most hurtful poverty
‘When I pick up a person from the street, hungry, I
give him a plate of rice, a piece of bread, I have satisfied. I have removed
that hunger. But a person that is shut out, that feels unwanted, unloved,
terrified, the person that has been thrown out from society—that poverty is so
hurtful and so much, and I find that very difficult’
(Mother Teresa)
Interior form of love
‘Every life is determined and evaluated by the
interior form of love. Tell me what you love, and I will tell you who you are’
(Pope John Paul II)
(The book ‘Speeches that changed the World’ was
published by Quercus Publishing Plc, London, 2005, Edition 2008)
Sibichen K Mathew
(Views are personal. Comments are invited)
Click the links below to read other book reviews by Sibichen
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I have gone thru all the speeches in this book. I used to refer the same and this had been my companion throughout my life. I appreciate that u have referred some of the brilliant anecdotes which are referred in this book. Happy to see intellectual IRS in today's world
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Kailash. Glad to know that you read the book. Most speeches are very inspiring!
ReplyDeletei am gonna buy this book,
ReplyDeleteexcellent review..