There is a Providence that protects idiots, drunkards, children and the United States of America.
-also Otto Von Bismarck
Most contemporary social democrats would do that too. If there was no public healthcare in European countries and it was proposed today sucdems would denounce it as completely unrealistic and radical.
Setting aside the fact that he was a hyper reactionary fuckhead, Bismarck actually was what this system pretends most of its leaders are. A hyper competent technocrat.
It legitimately could be that a lot of people running the world today are completely fucking delusional and stupid. Or have some vague conception of the damage they're doing, but no true awareness.
Even back then, Bismarck saw it coming, but the Kaiser didn't.
They care only insofar as they can't push the lower middle class into the dumpster quickly enough to prevent a revolt with the same sort of "you need us more than we need you" energy as the Black Death.
I have a sense that just like the Nazis has been the goto metaphor for absolute evil since the end of WWII future generations will use the liberal conservative elite governing us today as a metaphor for callous selfishness and irresponsibility.
He was extremely reactionary. But there are interesting things about reactionary figures (Huey long primarily). Bismarck was really, really good statesman and diplomat. I mean good in the skill sense, not the moral sense. Bismarck was the first master of Realpolitik. He created that web of alliances that causes all of the shit in WW1 to happen, ironically enough, as a measure against that war. Dan Carlin goes into some detail in his WW1 podcast series Blueprints of Armageddon
Praised be the Father of Universal Healthcare !
( .. Even if his hand was forced......)
