"In democratic nations, a man who becomes an officer breaks all his ties to civilian life. He leaves it for good and has no interest in returning. His true homeland is the army, because without the rank he occupies he is nothing. His fortunes therefore coincide with those of the army, and because he now rises and falls with the military, he now invests his hopes in it alone. Since the officer’s needs are quite distinct from those of the country, it is possible for him ardently to desire war or to work toward a revolution while the nation aspires above all to stability and peace."
Myth and the Limits of Political Distinction
Myth and the Limits of Political Distinction
Myth and the Limits of Political Distinction
"In democratic nations, a man who becomes an officer breaks all his ties to civilian life. He leaves it for good and has no interest in returning. His true homeland is the army, because without the rank he occupies he is nothing. His fortunes therefore coincide with those of the army, and because he now rises and falls with the military, he now invests his hopes in it alone. Since the officer’s needs are quite distinct from those of the country, it is possible for him ardently to desire war or to work toward a revolution while the nation aspires above all to stability and peace."