The World Emperor

I’m sorry. I don’t want to be an Emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want be rule or conquer anyone! I should like to help everyone, if possible. Jew, gentile, blackman, white. We all want help one other.

Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness, not misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there’s room for everyone. And the good earth is rich, and can provide for everyone.

The way of life can be free and beautiful. But we have lost the way. Greed has poisoned man’s souls. Has barricaded the world with hate. Has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed.

We have developed speed. But we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness hard and unkind. We think too much and feel to little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without this qualities life will be violent. And we’ll all be lost.

The airplane and the radio has brought us together. The very nature of this inventions cries out for the goodness in man. Cries out for universal brotherhood, for the unity of the soul. Even now my voice is reaching millions thought the world. Millions of despairing men, women and children. Victims of the system that makes man torture and imprison innocent people. For those who can hear me I say, do not despair.

The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed. The bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of man will pass and dictators die. And power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long men die, liberty will never perish.

Soldiers don’t give yourselves to these brutes! Men who despise you and slave you! Who regiment your lives. Tell you what to think, what to feel! Who drill you, diet you, treat you like cattle! Use you as cannon fire! Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men. Machine-men, with machine-minds and machine-hearts. You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts. You don’t hate. Only the unloved hates, and the unnatural.
Soldiers, don’t fight for slavery! Fight for liberty!

In the 17th chapter of St. Lucas is written “The Kingdom of God is within men” not with one man, not a group of men! But in all men, in you!

You the people have the power! The power to create machines. The power to create happiness. You the people have the power to make this life free and beautiful. To make this life a wonderful adventure.

Then, in the name of democracy, let us use that power. Let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world. A decent world. That will give man a chance to work. That will give youth a future, and old age a security.
By the promise of these things brutes have risen to power. But they lie, they do not fulfill the promise. They never will. Dictator free themselves but they enslave the people! Now let us fight to fulfill the promise. Let us fight to free the world. To do away with national barriers, to do away with greed. With hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason. A world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness.

Soldiers, in the name of democracy, let us all unite!

Hannah, can you hear me? Wherever you are, look up, Hannah. The clouds are lifting. The sun is breaking through. We are coming out of the darkness in to the Light. We are coming into a new world. A kindlier world where men will rise above their hate, their greed and their brutality. Look up Hanna. The soul of men has been given wings. And at last he is beginning to fly. He is flying into the rainbow. Into the light of hope. Into the future. The glorious future that belongs to you, to me and to all of us.

Look up Hannah, look up!

By Charles Chaplin, in The Great Dictator, 1940.