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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTreason vs Betrayal
With people wary of using the Treason word, it occurred to me that Betrayal might be a better fit i.e. Trump is betraying the American people and the Constitution.
I was looking up the difference, and came across this thread from 2010
https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/treason-vs-betrayal.2001427/
Is there a difference between treason and betrayal ?
It seems to me that treason is used in the context of law and that betrayal in more general. Am I right ?
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Answers
Treason is indeed an offence under English law. It has been a capital offence since 1351 and includes essentially helping one's own nation's enemies (so a French person can't be accused of treason against Britain). However it includes such miscellaneous offences as arson in the royal dockyards and raping the queen or female heir to the throne.
Betrayal, fortunately, is far less dramatic.
But what can be considered betrayal, is it the same as "disloyalty"?
If you accuse a president of treason and betrayal, should I assume that betrayal is a synonym of disloyalty? He was not loyal to his nation, for example...
It might be easier with examples. Let's say a president allowed a rival country access to military secrets - that would be treason. He might also break his election promises (to reduce unemployment, build more schools, or whatever) - that would be betrayal but not treason. A president can betray his electorate without betraying his country. Treason is if you like a subset of betrayal
EndGOPPropaganda
(1,117 posts)There is a stupid right wing talking point that you cant call someone a traitor unless they commit the Constitutionally defined crime.
That is dumb.
Ethel and Julius Rosenberg committed espionage, but we call them traitors.
Klaus Fuchs same.
Hanssen same.
The president has engaged in treasonous acts. The president is a traitor to America. Whether or not he will ever be convicted of the crime of treason.
OnDoutside
(19,969 posts)American people by not keeping Trump in check. With the midterms coming I think that is the best angle.
EndGOPPropaganda
(1,117 posts)I also think tying GOP to their billionaire donors is effective.
dalton99a
(81,568 posts)and he is not doing anything about it. This is not about spending money to build roads or schools.
Link to tweet
OnDoutside
(19,969 posts)dalton99a
(81,568 posts)OnDoutside
(19,969 posts)Spider Jerusalem
(21,786 posts)there was a crime known as "petty treason": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petty_treason