The pursuit of humiliation

You know, there was a General de Caulaincourt with Napoleon... and in his memoirs he describes how Napoleon would completely demean himself to get what he wanted. That if he wanted you to do something, he would put all his energy and attention into making it happen. And he had no shame. He would cajole, threaten, flatter, lie. The general said that Napoleon ...(could) seduce you to his will.”

“...you nearly killed...,” said Dalakis. “How can you justify that?”

“I do not try to. You remember in Crime and Punishment when Raskolnikov argues that some people have the right to kill? I think this theory had something to do with Napoleon...-Stephen Dobyns, The Death of Senora Pucci

Interestingly enough, General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has publicly said that Napoleon Bonaparte and Richard Nixon were his role models in political history. Napoleon was known to humiliate people and Nixon faced the ultimate in public humiliation in the highest political office. Both Napoleon and Nixon were obsessed with “control” and “power” rested within themselves and both have been denounced as reckless villains in democratic annals. Both of them, Napoleon and Nixon, derived their authority and power from unscrupulous sources and unprincipled political manipulation. Napoleon and Nixon are the symbols of defiance, contempt and insolence to the ethics of democratic principles and politics.

Given General (retd) Musharraf’s fascination with Napoleon and Nixon, a bit of understanding of the political conduct and emotional psyche of these two historical personalities may help to explain Pervez Musharraf’s political behaviour and modus operandi at this crucial stage of national crisis in Pakistan’s history.

A psychoanalytical review of General de Caulaincourt’s description of Napoleon’s character and personality will reveal the following:

(a) Napoleon’s ultimate political objective and personal interest was embedded in the pursuit of power,