tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560774651993745496.post3288148932506951709..comments2023-06-29T02:07:49.894-09:00Comments on The Mustard Seed: America: The Case for PessimismTMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07654673878708922180noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560774651993745496.post-65802826124053998402009-12-07T07:58:37.987-09:002009-12-07T07:58:37.987-09:00I think revolutions can occur without that level o...I think revolutions can occur without that level of privation…Look at the Communist Bloc from 1989-1991, for instance. There was no starvation, but there was definitely economic stagnation and political tyranny. In some ways, democracies are especially vulnerable to revolution during economic instability. In democracies, citizens are usually very demanding and have high expectations for progress. But when that progress goes into reversal for a few years, the people get violent. Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Bolshevik Russia, and Franco’s Spain all took over from democracies, for instance. <br /><br />The people I trust on economists – the people who predicted the crisis – are pretty much in agreement that this crisis will deepen and drag on for years. That makes the prospect of a major social breakdown very likely. The more interesting question for me is: What comes next? One source of optimism is that the military is a fundamentally conservative institution, and if push comes to shove, and the military had to take over, it may bring to power a collection of true conservatives who can get our country back on track, without the interference of corrupt politicians in both parties. But we’ll see.TMShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07654673878708922180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560774651993745496.post-46050935222320530992009-12-07T07:39:13.249-09:002009-12-07T07:39:13.249-09:00I was just reading about some revolutions yesterda...I was just reading about some revolutions yesterday. I don't think revolutions are possible unless people are hungry, literally hungry. I think you are still too optimistic, thinking we could have some change, soon. Real pessimism is what I am coming to: accepting that there is no limit to the slow decline into poverty and tyranny we are facing. <br /><br />The big show won't stop until the bread and circuses run out, and I don't see any shortage of bread and circuses out there.Justinhttp://religionnewsblog.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com