All the King's Men

All the King's Men
China Post Editorial
by Bevin Chu
September 13, 2009

All the King's Men is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel written by American author Robert Penn Warren. It was first published in 1946. A 1949 film adaptation directed by Robert Rossen and starring Broderick Crawford as protagonist Willie Stark won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.

The title "All the King's Men," is drawn from the nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty. The most common version is:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses,
And all the king's men,
Couldn't put Humpty together again.

Humpty Dumpty is a political allegory. It implies that once a political leader has been discredited, nothing his spin controllers can say will ever restore his reputation again. It implies that once a king has been dethroned, nothing his minions can do will ever restore his power again.

The novel All The King's Men depicts the rise and fall of Willie Stark, a self-described hick lawyer in the Deep South whose commitment to clean government is swiftly jettisoned during his rise to power. He eventually becomes even more corrupt than the politicians he despised and succeeded in overthrowing.

The story begins with the ruling party political machine backing well-meaning rube Stark in a cynical move to "split the hick vote." Realizing he has been used, Stark vows to see justice done. He makes a dazzling comeback. But no sooner has he tasted power, then he abandons his principles and begins lining his pockets. All the King's Men is a classic tale of "Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely."

On September 11, 2009, former Republic of China President Chen Shui-bian was convicted of four counts of corruption and sentenced to life imprisonment. A modern day Humpty Dumpty, a modern day Willie Stark, was toppled from his lofty pedestal as the "Son of Taiwan," and discredited beyond hope of redemption.

All the King's Men is a work of fiction. But author Robert Penn Warren grounded it firmly in reality. The saga of Willie Stark was inspired by the real life rise and fall of Louisiana governor and one-time senator Huey Long, aka "The Kingfish." That is why the parallels between fictional hick populist Willie Stark and real world hick populist Chen Shui-bian are so astonishing.

As movie reviewer Nick Schager notes, populist redneck Stark ran for office because he was disgusted by the crooked officials in his hometown. He appeals to his fellow hicks with a straight-shooting platform. But once he’s elected and becomes enamored with his new found clout, his loudly proclaimed ideals quickly go by the wayside.

As movie reviewer Phil Villareal notes, the film is a cautionary tale. A country bumpkin rises from nothing. He finds his calling in politics. He promises to soak the fat cats and spread their wealth around. Instead, he throws his ideals out the window once his fame and reputation grow.

Stark resorts instinctively to rhetorical devices that enhance his folksy authority. He calls his followers hicks, then turns the insult upon himself, making it seem as though they're all in it together, and that he's their unquestioned leader.

Stark delivers fist-pumping speeches, blasting the powers that be and inspiring devotion among onlookers, who elevate him to the status of an infallible priest in a cult of personality.

Stark barks at crowds from his bully pulpit. He stomps his opponents with abandon. Stark is a straight-talker who captures the imagination of the public, but who begins to believe his own press releases.

Stark has an insatiable appetite for political influence and higher office. He negotiates backroom deals that increase his power at the expense of his integrity. He takes things because he believes he deserves them, unaware that the more he consumes, the more he's consumed. It's a path that can only lead to oblivion.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Chen's autobiography, "The Son of Taiwan," was published in 2000. The introduction gushed:

Chen Shui-bian, Taiwan's most captivating political star, explains the secret of his administration's success and phenomenal approval ratings. He articulates the reasons why Taiwan must establish a government headed by a strong president. He outlines his vision for a society revitalized with fresh confidence, trust, and faith.

The Son of Taiwan was a real life version of All the King's Men. Eight years later, Republic of China citizens have seen how the saga ends. It does not end happily for Chen Shui-bian, any more than it ended happily for Willie Stark. All the king's horses and all the kings men, cannot put the Son of Taiwan back together again.