The Pen Vs. The Sword: Which Is Truly Mightier? — Part 1
We have been told the pen is mightier. Why? According to Edward Bulwer Lytton — The 19th century English author who coined the phrase — advocacy and communication are a more effective means to change than warfare. It sounds great in theory, but also overly idealistic. Across history, how often has the pen claimed victory over the sword? Let us take a look at moments across time. Then, you can make a judgment for yourself.
Ancient Greece (431 B.C.E –405 B.C. E): The Peloponnesian War
Athens and Sparta were the two powerhouse city-states during this time. Consequently, they tended to butt heads. The Peloponnesian War is broken up into three periods: War, Peace, War again. The first period of War sparked due to Corinth, an ally of Sparta, attacking Athens. Athens fought back by threatening to damage resources in their region. This forced Sparta to engage as now their interests were being attacked as well. Eventually, after a few years of battle, Sparta and Athens reached a peace agreement. Initially designed to last for fifty years, it only lasted six. This time, Athens took the first punch. Sparta, learning from the last battle, was much more prepared for Athens. After a decade of warfare, Sparta rose to victory via Athenian surrender. The era of the two-powerhouses had come to an end. Sparta stood alone at the top.
Many great philosophers have come from Greece, namely Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Yet, despite being such great thinkers and communicators, they were not the ones who dictated the power structure in Ancient Greece. Their ideas did not influence how the army and city-state leaders decided to confront tensions. In layman’s terms, the sword dictated the might, not the pen. The pen did come close as Athens and Sparta reached a peace agreement. However, that fell apart as battle arose, which ultimately decided who would have the power.
The Roman Empire (31 B.C.E — 480 C.E)
From sixth to eighth grade, it seemed as if all we learned about was the Roman Empire. It was the largest and most advanced governmental structure of its time. Looking back at it, the feats they achieved are amazing given how long ago it was. They established an education system, multiple public libraries, extensive trade routes and agreements, and even a tax system. The empire also constructed marvelous religious and art institutions. It truly is one of the greatest civilizations in the history of humanity.
Now, how exactly did they get all these resources, land, and power? Augustus, the nephew of Julius Caesar, won the battle of Actium in 31 BCE and proclaimed himself the first emperor of Rome. Augustus rebuilt Rome into a lavish city-state and expanded the empire’s borders through warfare. Due to Augustus’s vision, many flocked to Rome. Other neighboring city-states did not dare to engage in battle with the Romans. As a result, there was nearly a 200-year peace a.k.a Pax Romana. It was a time of peace and prosperity. It was one of the rare times in history where a person/empire/government gained power through their words rather strictly through battle. Yes, the sword helped build the foundation, but the pen was attractive and crucial to the growth of the Roman Empire.
In the latter parts of the empire, the stability and growth that was once synonymous began to cripple. As a result, neighboring city-states began to engage in battle with nearby territories, decreasing the size of the empire. Eventually, the Roman empire split into two: the East and West. The west was known as the Western Roman Empire and the east as the Byzantine Empire. Constantine the Great is the most well-known emperor of this era as he spearheaded the Byzantine Empire to glory over the Western Romans. He was truly the one who opened the door for Christianity’s growth. He mandated laws for religious tolerance for Christianity as he believed Jesus Christ helped him win battles. This era in Roman history was short-lived. Like Augustus’s passing, the passing of Constantine led to a crippling and eventual collapse of the entire empire. The political instability and invasions proved too much for the once-great empire.
The Roman Empire in its totality is probably the civilization that led most by the pen. Even though their military prowess was the overwhelming factor in their dominance, their culture and visionary leaders also played a massive role in its success.
The British Empire (1500s C.E — 1997 C.E)
Moving further across the timeline, the British Empire was one of the most powerful colonizing regimes in history. Unlike the Romans, where their territories neighbored each other, the British’s rule spanned across continents. They had strongholds in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. The colonization initially originated from companies within the state seeking to gain access to resources and labor. The Crown would exercise their control over these resources and colonies.
The North American conquests of the Empire led to the creation of the slave trade. Slaves were an economic necessity for the British colonies in America as they were free labor. Britain also faced competition from France in gaining territory on the Continent both in the southern region, which today is Louisiana, and the northern region, modern-day Canada. Eventually, the revolutionary war would force British rule out of the newly-established United States of America. The slave trade would officially end in 1807. Slavery was later abolished in 1865 after the Civil war.
The British began expanding their rule in Africa in the late 19th century. The British East Africa Company operated in modern-day Kenya and Uganda. Meanwhile, another British company, the Royal Niger Company, took hold in Nigeria. Britain went on to win the South African War and took hold there as well. They held control from Cape Town, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt. However, by the 1950s, all these companies were losing money and could not maintain control. Therefore, they relinquished and granted independence.
The British empire’s remaining settlements had been consolidated to the Asian continent. Most notably in India. The East India Company assumed authority in the country in the 1850s. Their rule lasted nearly 100 years. Eventually, the British granted India independence in 1947 amid international pressure and financial concerns. At this point, the British empire was on the precipice of collapse. It eventually would come to an end when the last colony in Hong Kong was released to the Chinese Sovereignty.
The British ruled with blood disguised in moralistic intentions. They claimed to have wanted to help “lesser” cultures assimilate to the world and experience higher living. In reality, they just wanted everyone to be like them and accept their rule. The slave trade, the military conquests, and the countless wars prove that they used the sword much more than the pen.
WWI (1914 C.E — 1920 C.E)
WWI has one of the most infamous origin stories in history: The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. That set off a war between Austria-Hungary and the Serbians, which would then grow to involve tens of other nations. All in all, the war featured two sides: The Allied Powers and The Central Powers. The Allied consisted of Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Japan, and the United States. Meanwhile, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire made up the Central Powers.
For the better half of the war, the U.S stayed uninvolved due to President Woodrow Wilson’s preference to remain neutral and act as an isolationist. That changed when in 1915, Germans took out U.S boats in the British Isles. The country demanded retaliation. By 1917, congress passed a massive military spending bill to prep the U.S for war.
By 1919, Germany became overwhelmed by the attacks and sought at armistice, bringing an end to WWI. Eventually, the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919 to bring sanctions to the Central Powers, especially Germany. Germany felt pressured into signing as it handicapped their country economically and militarily, but they signed anyways to help the peace. Germans would grow to hate this treaty as they saw their country tear itself apart. This hatred and anger reached a boiling point as it became the spark igniting WWII.
WWII (1935 C.E — 1947 C.E)
While WWI ended due to the might of the sword, the pen served the most consequential reckoning. The Treaty of Versailles decimated Germany’s living conditions, economy, and military. German citizens despised the treaty and desired justice. Here arises Adolf Hitler. Taking advantage of the Germans’ boiling tensions, he tells them to point their finger at the Jewish people. Hitler said vile sentiments centering around the idea that the Jewish are holding Germany back. He believed Germans to be a part of the pure and superior Aryan race. This thought sparked a fire in the citizenry as now they had someone to blame for their situation. As a result, Hitler rallied support. His power came from his loud voice, aggressive rhetoric, and outlandish vision. It was what made him attractive. Hitler rose to power and declared unilateral control of the government, becoming Führer (dictator).
Defying the Treaty of Versailles, Hitler began rearming the German military. In 1938, he attacked and occupied Austria. None of the world powers — U.S, Russia, France, Great Britain — responded as they focused on internal matters. This unchecked aggression by Hitler only got worse. Eventually, Stalin signed a nonaggression pact with Hitler, meaning the Soviet Union will not interfere in their conquest. Germany went on to invade Poland, causing France and Great Britain to declare war on Germany. WWII had begun.
In 1941, Hitler attempted to invade the Soviet Union. He fell short as the Soviets retaliated with a counteroffensive. Around this time, Hitler also formally introduced the “Final solution”. Nazi Soldiers went on to murder over four million Jewish people. As Germany continued to leave a trail of blood across Europe, the U.S dealt with Japanese aggression in the West. Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, killing over 2,000 Americans. The U.S officially entered WWII and declared war on Germany and Japan.
June 6, 1944, would come to be known as D-Day. The Allied forces (U.S, Canada, Great Britain, France) deployed over 156,000 soldiers into Normandy, France. Hitler left with no other option, deployed all his troops towards these forces, leaving the east unprotected. Germany was all but defeated. The ultimate defeat rolled around on April 30, 1945, as Hitler killed himself with a grenade. Germany officially surrendered. On the other hand, the U.S was not done. From August 6–9, 1945, the U.S deployed atomic bombs on Japan in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The damage done was catastrophic. Japan surrendered.
Both World Wars ended with the might of the sword. However, the pen played a massive role as well. The same applies to the British and Roman empires. For some, it is unquestionably evident that the sword is mightier than the pen. One can counter by stating that the sword is only utilized by one who is great with the pen. Thus, this makes the pen mightier. Some evidence is that Augustus Caesar’s military dominance was rooted in his mastery of speaking and leadership. Hitler was also known to be a rallying speaker and leader for Nazis, which helped Germany regain its’ military prowess. There are multiple ways to slice this argument. No definitive answers exist.
This entire piece has based the debate of the might of the pen vs. the sword in relation to historical instances. However, how about in terms of the modern world? Or even the future? Do these same rules apply? Very soon, we will be able to wrap our heads around the evolving perspective of the pen and the sword.
