Machiavellian Practices Alive in Burma

Sitting in a chair on the patio the man gave a shocking, to the point, response, “Like what you saw on the train; the prisoner, this man,” pointing at Cale, “your money, the government here does not care.  You are a drop of piss in a great ocean.  It means nothing and you mean nothing.  Squish the prisoner into dust like the political leaders of yesterday and the nobles during our futile times; kill the royal families or imprison them – or both.  It’s all very Machiavellian.”  The man drank some tea and added, “Historically, we get what we need from the forest; food, products for our homes, products to sell, even opium and precious and semi precious stones if they surface.  We are also supposed to collect these things for the military when it marches through town.  If you are too old, you pay a tax, if you are young and strong – you are forced to work; if you do not work, choose not to work, the army will write down your name and the next time fighting breaks out – you will be forced to be a porter.  The army will dress you up in a uniform and march behind you.  The insurgents do not use many field glasses, binoculars you call them, so the hill tribe armies don’t know the difference and you are blown up.  That’s it; you work next time, if you live.  If you don’t live, your family will work out of fear of your disappearance.”