There is no alternative.... and the mysterious Plan B

When I was young, I can remember arguing with my father quite a lot.  He wasn't normally a very patient man but when it came to talking about life he seemed to have endless patience during my teenage years.  His questions were often simple, but the lessons they provided were profound and I shall always be grateful to him for that.

Story Number 1
So when I was complaining about something more than usual one day, he simply asked 'Why don't you change it then?'
'I can't.'
'Why not?'
'Because I don't have any alternatives....'
Slowly, patiently, my father explained that there are always alternatives.  I may not know what they are, I may not like them, some may not work (but some certainly will).   'There is always a different way of doing things, there is always a better way and it's your job to find out what that is.'

Story Number 2
Another day, I was complaining that my life lacked any direction.  I didn't know what I wanted to be, I didn't know what I was capable of becoming (the jury's still out on that one by the way) and I lacked any sort of plan.  The plan I had carefully nurtured through High School wasn't working out.  And there was nothing I could do about it.  Or so I thought.
'Go to Plan B,' said my father.
'I don't have a Plan B,' I wept.
'Ah.  But you should always have a Plan B for times like this,' he explained.
'I didn't think I would need it,' I sobbed.
He smiled, shook his head.  'I know.  But none of us knows what the future holds, you can't have just a single plan and stick to it.  You must always have a couple of extras, just in case.'

My father knew what he was talking about here.  Although he worked all his life, fate had thrown him a couple of horrible blows, and if anyone knew about alternatives, and Plans B through to Z it was him.  So I listened.  And it helped me to grow up.

Fast forward to the present day, where apparently well educated politicians have the gall to stand up and claim 'There are no alternatives' 'There is no Plan B' and I realise what a bunch of childish buffoons they are.  Incapable of listening, they may have been expensively educated but have come out the other side knowing nothing of those they want to rule.  They simply aren't interested.  Ruling is an end in itself, they can't - won't - see beyond that.  They certainly don't think that history has anything to teach them on the subject.  But it does....

At the beginning of the twentieth century there was a powerful ruler of many people, called Nicholas.  He ruled over millions whom he never understood.  He thought he was invincible.  He certainly never thought he needed alternatives or a Plan B.

And look what happened to him.