Hannah Arendt Quotes
Total loyalty is possible only when fidelity is emptied of all concrete content, from which changes of mind might naturally arise.
Hannah Arendt, 1906-1975, Political philosopher & historian, The Origins of Totalitarianism, 1951
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This testimony turned out to be a tactical error. The main purpose of Tojo was to protect Emperor Hirohito from responsibility for the war. See {587277}. But by admitting that he never disobeyed even the Emperor’s wishes, he made it clear that he had implemented the Emperor’s desired policies. Therefore, Hirohito must have been responsible. After this testimony there was some delay and he changed his testimony claiming that once he disobeyed the Emperor when he took the nation to war. Few believed this second version, but it was sufficient to keep Hirohito from being charged—which despite many calls for his trial, General MacArthur also did not want the Emperor brought to account as the institution was making the occupation of Japan very easy.
Hannah Arendt was a German-born American political theorist. Her many books and articles have had a lasting influence on political theory and philosophy. Arendt is widely considered one of the most important political thinkers of the 20th century.
