Thursday, June 18, 2015

THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO BEGAN 200 YEARS AGO

200 years ago today (June 18, 1815) the Battle of Waterloo, and the demise of Napoleon, began ...


For those unfamiliar with Waterloo know that it's much more than an ABBA song.

In spite of what people saw at the time, Napoleon Bonaparte brought much of the spirit that built democracy in Europe. He would end up changing structures in Europe with his "radical" ideas, though he would not live to see what would happen. When he was finally defeated at Waterloo in 1815 it was a good thing. Crowning himself emperor, in the European monarchical tradition, did not help his cause.

While many don't see the connection, Napoleon's defeat would help set the stage for World War I (which began 99 years after Waterloo). This, in turn, would set the stage for World War II, which provides us with the geo-strategic fumes of our lives today.

If you can identify the structural or conceptual similarities with what's happening today you're probably smarter than you think.

- Mark

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