The crime he did commit was that of practical, complicated, and nuanced thought. Though an ardent anti-communist, he also knew that Chiang's regime was bankrupt and that eventually America would have to deal with Mao if it wanted power over him.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Davies’s political difficulty came from his nuanced view that dealing with Mao was inevitable despite his anti-communism.
- In plain terms
- He was against communism but knew America would have to deal with Mao.
- What can you take from it?
- Nuanced thought can be dangerous in polarized political environments.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is complexity a liability in politics?
- Can you oppose an ideology and still work with it?
Another view
The quote frames pragmatic policy as a crime without specifying who prosecuted this view.
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