The Revolution May Be Televised But There Not Be Anyone Watching the Station
A friend of mine and I were discussing revolution the other day, and an interesting comment was made of how "well, that sort of thing can't happen here", and it got me wondering how many people actually think that. And it then got me to start thinking about the reality of revolution and how most often so few people ever see it coming.
Think about the American Revolution. Sure, we talk about it in such grandiose terms, but at the time the people who existed back then probably had no idea it was going to be as instrumental as it was. I can imagine that some farmer was probably thinking that the result of the armed conflict was still going to lead to another season of farming and the hope that he might make a bit of money to survive through another year. It's not like these things are planned by a secret cabal that sits in a darkened room making these things happen. They generally happen at an unspecific time when things just sort of fall apart.
Revolutions are weird animals. In the 20th and 21st centuries, we tend to think of them as social revolutions, but throughout history they used to be disgruntled revolutions, where a bunch of people decided they were fed up, fought the establishment, and then the system collapsed around them. Quite often, the conclusion was a reinstitution of government that was very similar to what happened before, but for some people there was change. For others, it was more of the same.
The world of revolution is one of those that has certain actors as influential and others that sort of play along with whatever happens. That former category is the one most history books discuss. That latter category is made up of most of the people who have ever existed in civilization. They matter little, and unfortunately, they are usually the ones who pay the most in the conflicts (with their lives, their livelihoods and even the surrender of their ideas).
I think of the Peasants' Revolt in the Middle Ages as an example of revolution and how it impacts the average man or woman. A bunch of local people got pissed off that they were being taxed by the government and the Church, so they rose up, burned a couple of churches and attacked a couple of tax collectors. They weren't planning any great ideals or futures for themselves; they just didn't want to pay any more money at one particular time. And they practically overthrew the government. Until the government's soldiers showed up and killed a lot of people.
That is how most revolutions tend to exist in civilization.
So, my question is directed in a different way. Why are we so comfortable now that we believe that revolution cannot possibly take place in the United States? Is it because we haven't had one for so long? Is it because our police and soldiers are so strong that we just don't see it lasting long enough to grow steam? Or is it because we're fooling ourselves into a false sense of security?
I plan to revisit this subject at a later time. I just thought I'd open it up to some initial pre-thoughts. That's all for now.
Stumble It!
Think about the American Revolution. Sure, we talk about it in such grandiose terms, but at the time the people who existed back then probably had no idea it was going to be as instrumental as it was. I can imagine that some farmer was probably thinking that the result of the armed conflict was still going to lead to another season of farming and the hope that he might make a bit of money to survive through another year. It's not like these things are planned by a secret cabal that sits in a darkened room making these things happen. They generally happen at an unspecific time when things just sort of fall apart.
Revolutions are weird animals. In the 20th and 21st centuries, we tend to think of them as social revolutions, but throughout history they used to be disgruntled revolutions, where a bunch of people decided they were fed up, fought the establishment, and then the system collapsed around them. Quite often, the conclusion was a reinstitution of government that was very similar to what happened before, but for some people there was change. For others, it was more of the same.
The world of revolution is one of those that has certain actors as influential and others that sort of play along with whatever happens. That former category is the one most history books discuss. That latter category is made up of most of the people who have ever existed in civilization. They matter little, and unfortunately, they are usually the ones who pay the most in the conflicts (with their lives, their livelihoods and even the surrender of their ideas).
I think of the Peasants' Revolt in the Middle Ages as an example of revolution and how it impacts the average man or woman. A bunch of local people got pissed off that they were being taxed by the government and the Church, so they rose up, burned a couple of churches and attacked a couple of tax collectors. They weren't planning any great ideals or futures for themselves; they just didn't want to pay any more money at one particular time. And they practically overthrew the government. Until the government's soldiers showed up and killed a lot of people.
That is how most revolutions tend to exist in civilization.
So, my question is directed in a different way. Why are we so comfortable now that we believe that revolution cannot possibly take place in the United States? Is it because we haven't had one for so long? Is it because our police and soldiers are so strong that we just don't see it lasting long enough to grow steam? Or is it because we're fooling ourselves into a false sense of security?
I plan to revisit this subject at a later time. I just thought I'd open it up to some initial pre-thoughts. That's all for now.
Labels: Politics, Revolution
Stumble It!
posted by Duane @ 7:41 AM
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