Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?

I shouldn’t have to; any Jew who’s read a history book knows I’m right.

In what way are the weak or powerless protected and socially elevated?

Elephant in the room. A conversation for another time perhaps to not detract from the current subject.

I do not think we will reach a point of collapse or violence before brighter minds form groups to study the situation and make suggestions.

But if it does go to violence, it will likely surprise all of us as to how few people need to die so that the rest of us can progress in a more equitable world.

nydailynews.com/news/world/r … -1.2500284

I do not recommend violence but the world cannot be held hostage by so few and if a rebellion or civil war is required here or there, so be it.

Regards
DL

I don’t know what “socially elevated” means, but weak or powerless are protected in many states through social welfare programs, police, and services such as roads, schools and so on which are either free or else unattainable without a state to organize them. They’re protected from potential invaders by the military, protected from disease by water treatment systems, immunizations, and so on. All kinds of stuff.

And of course in some Governments the weak and powerless are exploited and brutalized. And in some Governments it’s a mix of both. You just can’t generalize about it.

The smartest and brightest are the first to be bought off. I don’t believe any kind of intelligentsia will swoop in and save the day. I certainly don’t have any kind of faith in such people myself. For me only a violent armed form of rebellion will change anything, everything else is co-opted. Armies get things done not simple protests and certainly not the co-opted intelligentsia.

Perhaps I should have said moral intelligentsia.

The French Revolution, just to name one, was led by the people and not the army, which was controlled by the rich.

Any such revolution must have the population behind it or it is bound to fail. The French Revolution itself was not the best way to do things, as they had not planned for the substitution of governance well, but it is touted as having brought democracy to the West.

Regards
DL

Public welfare is a kind of state enslavement and patronage. Police enforce laws commanded by the establishment. Public infrastructure is just a way of publicly maintaining the controlled plantation or reservation. State militaries are armed mercenaries at the state’s disposal for the acquisition of resources.

Sorry, I just can’t see what you do.

I am a bit of a skeptic concerning human morality and ethics so I don’t share your views. Eventually however when things get so horrible people will organize themselves in the name of their own self interests of survival (common people), that is a given, however nobody will agree to any singular specific point of view hence why we’ll see multiple revolutionaries instead of just one. There will be much infighting everywhere. I can’t really say I have much faith in democracy either.

You can characterize things as cynically as you want, it doesn’t change the fact that many states give their citizens food, shelter, and protection from crime, disease, and war. Like for example this:

“. Public infrastructure is just a way of publicly maintaining the controlled plantation or reservation.”

All you’re doing here is ascribing motive. First of all, it makes no sense to ascribe motives to hypothetical people (we aren’t even talking about some particular state or another), and secondly the motive has nothing to do with whether or not the poor people are benefited. If all Government authorities are cackling supervillains in the way you describe and create roads and libraries to ‘maintain the controlled planatation’, that doesn’t change the fact that the poor get to benefit from roads and libraries.

Yes, a herd of cattle benefits from a barn and constant feed also. Like I said, we will not see eye to eye on this in the same manner and yes, I am quite very cynical when it comes to the course of human civilization. If we’re to speak of crime not a single day goes by where all governments aren’t committing some or many.

Perhaps I should have said moral intelligentsia.

The French Revolution, just to name one, was led by the people and not the army, which was controlled by the rich.

Any such revolution must have the population behind it or it is bound to fail. The French Revolution itself was not the best way to do things, as they had not planned for the substitution of governance well, but it is touted as having brought democracy to the West.

Regards
DL
[/quote]
I am a bit of a skeptic concerning human morality and ethics so I don’t share your views. Eventually however when things get so horrible people will organize themselves in the name of their own self interests of survival (common people), that is a given, however nobody will agree to any singular specific point of view hence why we’ll see multiple revolutionaries instead of just one. There will be much infighting everywhere. I can’t really say I have much faith in democracy either.
[/quote]
Neither do I as I do not think it really exists anywhere.

I do not see this as a question of morality towards the poor as we have that under good control.

I think that we the people are seeking a better and more moral way for self-pride more than anything else. We are becoming more moral in our thinking and are tired of the rich holding us back from the better systems we can envisage.

economist.com/news/leaders/ … should-aim

Pride, not poverty will and should be our focus. We should seek to rule for honor and duty, not for the cash.

Regards
DL

We already had noblesse oblige and the divine right of kings. The left (plagiarizing Machiavelli) flushed them.

I still can’t say I hold much faith or credibility in human morality and ethics I_Am.

We’ll have to disagree on that note.

And yet all political parties are purely Machiavellian.

That’s another one of those generalizations you can’t prove or even give evidence for that is based fully on faith that your audience will be as cynical as you are.

Can you prove otherwise? I think not.

The peasants came up with the right of kings?

Who knew?

Regards
DL

Good analogy.

Perhaps these will help you gain confidence in the trend I see.

youtube.com/watch?v=_ADgh3yCSdM

youtube.com/watch?v=aLulcfyqrc0

Regards
DL