The brotherhood of man

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Those of us who believe in the brotherhood of man have to be able to accept the negative, as well as the positive, aspects of that belief.

For example, a stupid and counterproductive idea that catches the fancy of one part of the human race in one part of the world in one era is likely to have a fatal attraction to other people in other places and times.

One such dangerous notion is the idea of being able to undo the wrongs of history. History is so full of wrongs that there are almost unlimited ways to go wrong trying to correct them.

Back in the 17th century, when Czech nobles revolted against the Hapsburg Empire, the crushing of their rebellion was followed by a confiscation of their lands, which were then transferred to German nobles. Whatever the rights or wrongs of that episode, the Czechs thought it was wrong.

Fast forward now to the 20th century. After the First World War, the Hapsburg Empire was dismembered and the new state of Czechoslovakia created. One of its national aspirations was expressed by one historian as being "to correct social injustice" and to "put right the historic wrongs of the 17th century."

Czechs were now to get preferential treatment, at the expense of the country's German minority. The Germans, of course, objected. Their outraged protests were suppressed by force, and some of them were shot and killed in the process.

The net result was a polarized country with an embittered minority in the 20th century -- all because of trying to right the wrongs of the 17th century.

No matter who was right and who was wrong in the 17th century, they were all dead and nothing within the power of man could bring them justice in this world. Symbolic restitution could only create new problems among the living.

The German minority, living in the region of Czechoslovakia adjacent to Germany, became so alienated they eventually demanded their region be transferred from Czechoslovakia to Germany.