Nelson
Member
I almost included a comment on fear but feared I'd rambled on long enough for anyone to stay with me.
So fear of boring us trumped the desire to benefit us! ;D
I think fear might be a more effective temporary motivator, but just as it taxes the body, it also taxes the larger political organizational structures leading to corruption and early death or rebellion of the people against tyranny.
"Fear is the mind killer." It's like Meth.
Awesome quote, and from one of my favorite novels! :)
Interestingly, Machiavelli addressed all these issues, and he said it so well, so I'll quote him:
'he [a leader] ought to be slow to believe and to act, nor should he himself show fear, but proceed in a temperate manner with prudence and humanity, so that too much confidence may not make him incautious and too much distrust render him intolerable.
[...]
Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, it is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with. Because this is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you succeed they are yours entirely; they will offer you their blood, property, life, and children, as is said above, when the need is far distant; but when it approaches they turn against you. And that prince who, relying entirely on their promises, has neglected other precautions, is ruined; because friendships that are obtained by payments, and not by greatness or nobility of mind, may indeed be earned, but they are not secured, and in time of need cannot be relied upon; and men have less scruple in offending one who is beloved than one who is feared, for love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails.
Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred'...
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1232/1232-h/1232-h.htm#link2HCH0017