AI: Cardinal Richelieu, Bismarck, and Kissinger Compared: Essence of Statecraft
“The art of statecraft,” Cardinal Richelieu once mused, “lies not in crafting treaties, but in weaving a web of interests so intricate that none dare break a single thread.” Centuries later, Otto von Bismarck echoed this sentiment: “Politics is the art of the possible, the sausage-making of compromise where ideals must yield to realities, however grubby.” Henry Kissinger, the architect of American realpolitik, echoed the sentiment: “Statesmanship is the art of the possible.” In these three pronouncements, whispered across epochs, lies the essence of statecraft – a ruthless pragmatism tempered by an exquisite touch. In this Machiavellian ballet, power and prudence must dance in intricate harmony. Through this lens, we must examine the legacies of these three giants of power: Richelieu, Bismarck, and Kissinger.