Exclusive Interview Transcript
"Sir, we all know your biography. And we ought to say that we are impressed. Most of us at least. But what is your program actually?"
"Thank you for the courtesy, and for that good question as well. I will not kid you that it all comes down to the program. Everybody who knows something about politics knows that there are many other factors. This campaign does not pretend that it is otherwise. But there are important things I want to do with this Republic."
"We are all ears."
"First of all the economy. Rights and advancements and all, tell me how you are going to do it without an economy. We need more economy. And I don't mean the old money families only. We need small business, we need new blood."
"That is where you differ from some in your party."
"True, although that difference has long been reconciled, at least for this campaign. Some in our party have indeed grown to believe that what is good for the five families is ultimately good for the citizen. I say empower the citizen to work for his own good and the good of the Republic with his own hands, and mind if he is so predisposed, and make it happen."
"That is not far from your own origins."
"And that is not far from the truth. But each of us brings in with himself a unique experience that he can put to work for the good of the Republic. We shouldn't exclude anybody. I am not saying we are. But I am saying we could free things up a bit. Shake them up a bit if necessary, but within healthy limits. Remember what I said about a strong economy. No revolutions that could either bring us up or take us down."
"And what does this Republic need, in terms of the economy, according to you?"
"An expanded market. Improvements at the port. The queue is potentially endless but it comes down to these two things, essentially."
"I'm surprised you didn't mention defense, given your background."
"I want to clarify some things. I am against undercutting the defense. But you are undercutting the defense when you are spending on defense when you should be spending on what gives fuel for the defense. And that is the economy. You cannot invest in defense any money that you don't have in your coffers. It is as simple. And if you look at our economy, it is stagnant. It isn't going anywhere. The trade is a giant on clay feet without infrastructure. One embargo war and all your profit base goes poof. We need to diversify the Republic's sources of income and include more traditional, infrastructure-based tax income sources, as well as reliable sources that are outside the enemy's reach."
"What if we are attacked from the outside during the time those forward-looking investments of yours are maturing, though? What do you suggest we do then?"
"I suggest the great families unite for once and present a unified front against the invader, instead of relying on the Doge exclusively to conduct the effort and the Republic to use its resource to protect their resources. Some sucking it up may be necessary."
"Wait, would that empower the great families or undercut them? Because I am at a loss there, I must admit."
"Both really, it depends. I am for giving them a greater share in decision power if they take a greater share in the responsibility. This Republic needs proactive servants."
"Such as yourself?"
"I always tried to be. In the D–"
"Yes, we know, Admiral. There is no need.–"
"But I do believe in peace through strength. We need to provide principled leadership and stand united with others, especially our allies, to protect our vital national interests. And that there is a tomorrow, a tomorrow we are building with hard hard work. Beginning with the Doge. But I want everyone to participate and give his best."
"That is ambitious."
"Indeed. But this is the healthy sort of ambition we need."
"Wait, does that mean you support interventions in the affairs of foreign countries?"
"Like heck I do. Let me be crystal clear with you on this one: not only do I not believe in sitting on your fat ass when men of your own religion or nation are swarmed by invaders on moral grounds, it is also stupid to allow invaders to get fat on the blood they suck while you are revelling in your inactivity. Perspective is needed. Sometimes you fight for your own country very far from its borders. That, and there does exist a common cause of Christianity, of humanity."
"Preventive wars?"
"No. But proactive assistance in defence. Today we help them, tomorrow they come and help us. Would still go on a counterpush when needed. But I'd be the last man to waste the lives of our servicemen when it is not needed. Mindless expansionism is not my way."
"What about education? Health care? Social programs?"
"The only social programme anyone ever needs is a job."
"Education?"
"You need education for jobs. You also need education to grow as a citizen, a man, a Christian. I am all for education. Preferably all of it we can get–"
"Does that me-"
"No, I won't save up six hundred to go wild with a university. We will need to rely on the monasteries and cathedrals first. Start small or you will be overinvesting. Delayed benefit is good but not when it basically freezes your cash. We need to work on basic education first. Statistically, it confers the same benefit while taking up one third of the cost. I've done the maths. Besides, like I said, we need to deck out the markets and ports to the top of our technology before we start investing in things, including tech. But I will be paying attention to tech from the beginning. Judicious management can go a long way that simply throwing money at the issue could not. Although rest assured that I would be throwing money at it if we had it. I will be busy making sure we have it, first."
"So it is all really about economy?"
"No it's not. But you need the economy to do other things."
"Including education and tech."
"Yes, although the relationship is reciprocal. You need tech to make the economy."
"So what do you propose with the tech?"
"An 'all of the above' approach, essentially. We need to capitalize on the areas where we are behind."
"Excuse me? Did I hear you right?"
"Yes, you did. I said: capitalize on the areas where we are behind. As cynical as this sounds, it is easier to catch up than it is to develop something new. I am all for developing new things and taking a position of technological leadership but that is something you need to work for."
"–Let me guess: by building up your economy to pay for it."
"Precisely. We cannot get fixated on one big thing while ignoring all the smaller benefits that are within hand's reach."
"I thought you were in favor of a long-term approach."
"I am. And this is precisely the long-term approach. It just gives up on centrally planned tech and introduces a free market of technologies as it were, while forcing us to be somewhat reactive but definitely not passive. You can think of it as technologies competing for our investment. And we make the best of it by reacting but to react wisely we need to stay on top of the flow and keep tabs on the progress."
"Well, that does seem to make sense."
"It does. When we are behind everywhere or ahead everywhere, and naturally I would prefer the latter possibility, then we can be picky. Or when the differences in estimated progress rate are negligible or when, after a good deal of thinking, you conclude that there is some tech you don't need while every single day towards the faster achievement of your desired tech counts. But let me be clear on this one: There isn't any such tech as of yet. There is much to fix before such grand strategising can be entertained seriously, I won't be lying to you."
"Thank you for the interview, Admiral."
"Likewise."
"Sir, we all know your biography. And we ought to say that we are impressed. Most of us at least. But what is your program actually?"
"Thank you for the courtesy, and for that good question as well. I will not kid you that it all comes down to the program. Everybody who knows something about politics knows that there are many other factors. This campaign does not pretend that it is otherwise. But there are important things I want to do with this Republic."
"We are all ears."
"First of all the economy. Rights and advancements and all, tell me how you are going to do it without an economy. We need more economy. And I don't mean the old money families only. We need small business, we need new blood."
"That is where you differ from some in your party."
"True, although that difference has long been reconciled, at least for this campaign. Some in our party have indeed grown to believe that what is good for the five families is ultimately good for the citizen. I say empower the citizen to work for his own good and the good of the Republic with his own hands, and mind if he is so predisposed, and make it happen."
"That is not far from your own origins."
"And that is not far from the truth. But each of us brings in with himself a unique experience that he can put to work for the good of the Republic. We shouldn't exclude anybody. I am not saying we are. But I am saying we could free things up a bit. Shake them up a bit if necessary, but within healthy limits. Remember what I said about a strong economy. No revolutions that could either bring us up or take us down."
"And what does this Republic need, in terms of the economy, according to you?"
"An expanded market. Improvements at the port. The queue is potentially endless but it comes down to these two things, essentially."
"I'm surprised you didn't mention defense, given your background."
"I want to clarify some things. I am against undercutting the defense. But you are undercutting the defense when you are spending on defense when you should be spending on what gives fuel for the defense. And that is the economy. You cannot invest in defense any money that you don't have in your coffers. It is as simple. And if you look at our economy, it is stagnant. It isn't going anywhere. The trade is a giant on clay feet without infrastructure. One embargo war and all your profit base goes poof. We need to diversify the Republic's sources of income and include more traditional, infrastructure-based tax income sources, as well as reliable sources that are outside the enemy's reach."
"What if we are attacked from the outside during the time those forward-looking investments of yours are maturing, though? What do you suggest we do then?"
"I suggest the great families unite for once and present a unified front against the invader, instead of relying on the Doge exclusively to conduct the effort and the Republic to use its resource to protect their resources. Some sucking it up may be necessary."
"Wait, would that empower the great families or undercut them? Because I am at a loss there, I must admit."
"Both really, it depends. I am for giving them a greater share in decision power if they take a greater share in the responsibility. This Republic needs proactive servants."
"Such as yourself?"
"I always tried to be. In the D–"
"Yes, we know, Admiral. There is no need.–"
"But I do believe in peace through strength. We need to provide principled leadership and stand united with others, especially our allies, to protect our vital national interests. And that there is a tomorrow, a tomorrow we are building with hard hard work. Beginning with the Doge. But I want everyone to participate and give his best."
"That is ambitious."
"Indeed. But this is the healthy sort of ambition we need."
"Wait, does that mean you support interventions in the affairs of foreign countries?"
"Like heck I do. Let me be crystal clear with you on this one: not only do I not believe in sitting on your fat ass when men of your own religion or nation are swarmed by invaders on moral grounds, it is also stupid to allow invaders to get fat on the blood they suck while you are revelling in your inactivity. Perspective is needed. Sometimes you fight for your own country very far from its borders. That, and there does exist a common cause of Christianity, of humanity."
"Preventive wars?"
"No. But proactive assistance in defence. Today we help them, tomorrow they come and help us. Would still go on a counterpush when needed. But I'd be the last man to waste the lives of our servicemen when it is not needed. Mindless expansionism is not my way."
"What about education? Health care? Social programs?"
"The only social programme anyone ever needs is a job."
"Education?"
"You need education for jobs. You also need education to grow as a citizen, a man, a Christian. I am all for education. Preferably all of it we can get–"
"Does that me-"
"No, I won't save up six hundred to go wild with a university. We will need to rely on the monasteries and cathedrals first. Start small or you will be overinvesting. Delayed benefit is good but not when it basically freezes your cash. We need to work on basic education first. Statistically, it confers the same benefit while taking up one third of the cost. I've done the maths. Besides, like I said, we need to deck out the markets and ports to the top of our technology before we start investing in things, including tech. But I will be paying attention to tech from the beginning. Judicious management can go a long way that simply throwing money at the issue could not. Although rest assured that I would be throwing money at it if we had it. I will be busy making sure we have it, first."
"So it is all really about economy?"
"No it's not. But you need the economy to do other things."
"Including education and tech."
"Yes, although the relationship is reciprocal. You need tech to make the economy."
"So what do you propose with the tech?"
"An 'all of the above' approach, essentially. We need to capitalize on the areas where we are behind."
"Excuse me? Did I hear you right?"
"Yes, you did. I said: capitalize on the areas where we are behind. As cynical as this sounds, it is easier to catch up than it is to develop something new. I am all for developing new things and taking a position of technological leadership but that is something you need to work for."
"–Let me guess: by building up your economy to pay for it."
"Precisely. We cannot get fixated on one big thing while ignoring all the smaller benefits that are within hand's reach."
"I thought you were in favor of a long-term approach."
"I am. And this is precisely the long-term approach. It just gives up on centrally planned tech and introduces a free market of technologies as it were, while forcing us to be somewhat reactive but definitely not passive. You can think of it as technologies competing for our investment. And we make the best of it by reacting but to react wisely we need to stay on top of the flow and keep tabs on the progress."
"Well, that does seem to make sense."
"It does. When we are behind everywhere or ahead everywhere, and naturally I would prefer the latter possibility, then we can be picky. Or when the differences in estimated progress rate are negligible or when, after a good deal of thinking, you conclude that there is some tech you don't need while every single day towards the faster achievement of your desired tech counts. But let me be clear on this one: There isn't any such tech as of yet. There is much to fix before such grand strategising can be entertained seriously, I won't be lying to you."
"Thank you for the interview, Admiral."
"Likewise."
