My thesis:
Revolt, Rebellion and Revolution. Call it what you will, depends on several factors but ultimately on an unmeasurable "sense" of empowerment, or more accurately, the lack of empowerment.
In turn, the level at which empowerment is felt can be affected by any number of sources. But generally fall under the two freedom axis:
Economic Freedom:
Social Freedom:
So then oppression in one of these broad categories, and particularly selective oppression in one of these broad categories sets up the "Us vs Them" mentality. A pre-requisite of a fight.
My historical examples of revolution, rebellion, and revolt:
1.) The Crown, and the Wealthy's oppression of the barely middle class American Colony in Economic ways. They caused finiancial ruin for all, then heaped taxes upon them and East India Tea to help buy thier way out of debt and ruin. It set up a very nice "Us vs Them" mentality.
The empowerment ingredient is the nitric acid to the bitter but stable glycerin. The Colonies had no means to defend themselves back in the ruling circles, they had no representatives; and no means to petition the government. They were shut out of the power while being oppressed. The Colonies pleaded for Parliament or the King to listen, they were given no quarter. The rest is history.
2.) The North began to develope the wealthy industrial base while the poorer South continued with agricultural cash crops. The North then began to take a moral high ground to slavery. They had already won a battle siding with England and closed the slave trade soon after the ratification of the Const. It was becoming increasing clear that the North wanted nothing less than complete abolition of slavery. The Tyranny of the Majority was telling the South what was right and wrong, morally. While the results would hurt the very wealthy right in the pocket book. The South vs the North, Us vs Them. When Lincoln was elected, it was the final ingredient; the South had lost the power to control its destiny. The rest is history.
So then...
Whos the Us vs Them?
Us liberal minded folks vs the socialist minded folks? Hardly, there is a bit of both on both sides.
Poor vs Middle vs Rich? As other point out our poor aren't exactly starving to death, and middle class wealth is not out of reach for any who would reach out with self discipline, control, determination, work, and minor abilities.
Rural vs Urban? a little, but nationalism is stronger.
The cards don't seem to hold a strong hand for revolution based on such ideological principles alone.
There are only a few Us vs Them situations I can identify:
1. Whites vs Mexican vs Blacks; the asians seem to be able to stay out of the fight.
The vast majority of whites dont even want to appear racially biased, let alone be labeled a racist, they/we are particularly sensitive to White-Black relations. (But maybe I'm projecting
)
White-Mexican relations are much more strained, but more about illegal immigration than anything else. Plus Whites dont feel as constrained with Mexican sensativeties sense there isn't nearly as much bad history (though there definately is some if somebody wanted to dig it up).
I know nothing about Black-Mexican relations, so I will remain silent on this topic. Except, neither group has enough current politcal power to establish oppression of the other.
Much work is performed to remove even the apprearance of oppression on Blacks and Mexicans. In my experience and statistics, many in both groups are working thier collective way up to middle class. As long as this trend continues, all should be well.
2. Muslims vs the rest of the world; this looms much larger to me, and it ought to be pretty obvious to everyone here, despite the "multicultural" political correctness.
Muslim and other American relations depend on whether they identify with the various oppressions in other regions/nations, or identify as Americans with economic opportunity and social choice to be Muslim. On the flip side, the rest of America needs to feel safe/non-threatened with our Muslim population.
Both of these propositions seem tenous.
Now the about the question of empowerment. Most americans have a collective sense that if we raised up and decided on more classical liberal ideas (or not) with fresh faces in Washington and other Capitols, we could easily vote in the new power. Reckon to the Reagan Revolution, the '94 Contract, and '04 Reinforcement, and the '06 Rebuttal. Again, no ideological struggle here folks; cause if we wanted to, we could vote it in.
I already covered empowerment for race relations in the above paragraph.
Do most Americans feel they have a voice in maintaining workable relations with our Muslims, to feel non-threatened? Yes.
Do most Muslims feel they have a say in the way they live and part in how they are governed? For now, it seems yes.
We look internally stable to me.
Find me an Us vs Them, and an empowerment issue then I might consider the building of revolution and violence.
Drew
Revolt, Rebellion and Revolution. Call it what you will, depends on several factors but ultimately on an unmeasurable "sense" of empowerment, or more accurately, the lack of empowerment.
In turn, the level at which empowerment is felt can be affected by any number of sources. But generally fall under the two freedom axis:
Economic Freedom:
supporting family finances
possibility for advancement in society
comparison to others in society [econ oppression based on some social distinction: race, religion, politics]
possibility for advancement in society
comparison to others in society [econ oppression based on some social distinction: race, religion, politics]
Social Freedom:
Religion
Politics
Morals
Speech
Politics
Morals
Speech
So then oppression in one of these broad categories, and particularly selective oppression in one of these broad categories sets up the "Us vs Them" mentality. A pre-requisite of a fight.
My historical examples of revolution, rebellion, and revolt:
1.) The Crown, and the Wealthy's oppression of the barely middle class American Colony in Economic ways. They caused finiancial ruin for all, then heaped taxes upon them and East India Tea to help buy thier way out of debt and ruin. It set up a very nice "Us vs Them" mentality.
The empowerment ingredient is the nitric acid to the bitter but stable glycerin. The Colonies had no means to defend themselves back in the ruling circles, they had no representatives; and no means to petition the government. They were shut out of the power while being oppressed. The Colonies pleaded for Parliament or the King to listen, they were given no quarter. The rest is history.
2.) The North began to develope the wealthy industrial base while the poorer South continued with agricultural cash crops. The North then began to take a moral high ground to slavery. They had already won a battle siding with England and closed the slave trade soon after the ratification of the Const. It was becoming increasing clear that the North wanted nothing less than complete abolition of slavery. The Tyranny of the Majority was telling the South what was right and wrong, morally. While the results would hurt the very wealthy right in the pocket book. The South vs the North, Us vs Them. When Lincoln was elected, it was the final ingredient; the South had lost the power to control its destiny. The rest is history.
So then...
Whos the Us vs Them?
Us liberal minded folks vs the socialist minded folks? Hardly, there is a bit of both on both sides.
Poor vs Middle vs Rich? As other point out our poor aren't exactly starving to death, and middle class wealth is not out of reach for any who would reach out with self discipline, control, determination, work, and minor abilities.
Rural vs Urban? a little, but nationalism is stronger.
The cards don't seem to hold a strong hand for revolution based on such ideological principles alone.
There are only a few Us vs Them situations I can identify:
1. Whites vs Mexican vs Blacks; the asians seem to be able to stay out of the fight.
The vast majority of whites dont even want to appear racially biased, let alone be labeled a racist, they/we are particularly sensitive to White-Black relations. (But maybe I'm projecting
)White-Mexican relations are much more strained, but more about illegal immigration than anything else. Plus Whites dont feel as constrained with Mexican sensativeties sense there isn't nearly as much bad history (though there definately is some if somebody wanted to dig it up).
I know nothing about Black-Mexican relations, so I will remain silent on this topic. Except, neither group has enough current politcal power to establish oppression of the other.
Much work is performed to remove even the apprearance of oppression on Blacks and Mexicans. In my experience and statistics, many in both groups are working thier collective way up to middle class. As long as this trend continues, all should be well.
2. Muslims vs the rest of the world; this looms much larger to me, and it ought to be pretty obvious to everyone here, despite the "multicultural" political correctness.
Muslim and other American relations depend on whether they identify with the various oppressions in other regions/nations, or identify as Americans with economic opportunity and social choice to be Muslim. On the flip side, the rest of America needs to feel safe/non-threatened with our Muslim population.
Both of these propositions seem tenous.
Now the about the question of empowerment. Most americans have a collective sense that if we raised up and decided on more classical liberal ideas (or not) with fresh faces in Washington and other Capitols, we could easily vote in the new power. Reckon to the Reagan Revolution, the '94 Contract, and '04 Reinforcement, and the '06 Rebuttal. Again, no ideological struggle here folks; cause if we wanted to, we could vote it in.
I already covered empowerment for race relations in the above paragraph.
Do most Americans feel they have a voice in maintaining workable relations with our Muslims, to feel non-threatened? Yes.
Do most Muslims feel they have a say in the way they live and part in how they are governed? For now, it seems yes.
We look internally stable to me.
Find me an Us vs Them, and an empowerment issue then I might consider the building of revolution and violence.
Drew