Negotiations: TWarlords vs merchants, honour vs compromise

[Tycho Brahe]

Hi civfanatics.

Over a year ago, i read a post here on civfanatics about the leader cultures from different parts of the world, and how they clash in negotiations. The mindset of warlords vs merchants, the first valuing pride and honour, the second seeking compromises for mutual benefit. Something like that, but if I could describe it better, I wouldn't need you help.

I hesitate to mention this, but the subject of the thread was Vladmir Putin. The point of this thread isn't to open yet another pro-against Russia propagandafest, so if that could be avoided, that would be great.

But do anyone have any idea what I'm thinking of?


Edit: Aaaand I misspelled the title. Great!

 

[Borachio]

I don't think of Putin as a warlord. He reminds me more of a ruthless corporatist. Corporations only seek mutual benefit when they think it's more advantageous than browbeating. Their only interest is profit, and it doesn't matter to them how they achieve it. I think Putin's mindset is exactly this. He's done his calculations as far as he's able and decided that the benefits of antagonizing the West outweigh the drawbacks. He may be right, or completely mistaken, and only time will tell.

 

[Yeekim]

Yes, this was the subject of an article someone posted in one of the Ukrainian threads.
Might have been Verbose?

 

[Tycho Brahe]

Yes, this was the subject of an article someone posted in one of the Ukrainian threads.
Might have been Verbose?

Found it! It turns out it was Cutlass

And the headline should have beeen Traders vs. Guardians

http://www.economonitor.com/dolanec...-trade-with-people-who-dont-believe-in-trade/

Just who are the people with whom it is dangerous to trade? Certainly, I do not mean to put all Russians in that category, any more than I would say all Americans are reliable trading partners. Instead, I would point to a distinction that Jane Jacobs makes, in her book Systems of Survival, between two mindsets or “ethical syndromes” that she calls the guardian mentality and the commercial mentality.

The guardians, who get their name from Plato’s ideal rulers, include government leaders, soldiers, and police, although their way of thinking also extends to criminal gangs, hunter-gatherers, and some other groups. Of the fifteen virtues Jacobs lists as characteristic for guardians, five are especially relevant for our discussion: First, guardians value and receive respect for exerting prowess. Second, they consider it important to take vengeance, in some cases even when doing so is costly to them. Third, they admire skill in deceit as a means of achieving an end. Fourth, they treasure honor. Fifth, although they are willing to trade when necessary, they do not view trade as an especially virtuous activity. They are suspicious of trade, in part, because it easily leads to corruption, treachery, or other conflicts between group and personal interests.....