Will the general population ever revolt?

[prawn_86]

There is only 3 ways to replace a government.

1. Win an election. This is 99.99% impossible for any but the major parties to do due to historical links and salience, and general voter apathy.

2. Start a war. Only 'works' if you are invading a country

3. Create a revolution.

My question is, will there ever be a big enough critical mass for the general Western populos to rise up and finally overturn the useless governments we have?

We have seen protests in France about how bail out cash goes straight to the bankers who caused the mess, while jobs are lost and they keep their billions of dollars of bonuses. Obama has said its 'shameful'
but of course he isn't going to stand up and say "go **** yourselves, we'll let you go broke then". Even members at ASF are disgusted about most of the bailout terms etc.

Personally i dont think a revolution will happen as the 'average' Western person has been stupified by poor school systems, mindless tv and multimedia and general apathy at how the system works due to its complex nature. The 'average' person is happy just struggling along and as long as they can meet the mortage or get the dole they dont care enough to revolt.

Thoughts?

 

[Sean K]

Left out Coup.

Works well for Fiji.

Australia? Maybe not.

 

[prawn_86]

Left out Coup.

Works well for Fiji.

Australia? Maybe not.

Surely there will come a point in time where current style govs are over-thrown for their hypocritical ways. I just dont see it happening in my lifetime.

Or perhaps it wont as the 'sheeple' will slowly become even more stupified

Here's the link that got me thinking about it:
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/startups/magazine/17-02/mf_seasteading

 

[jersey10]

Personally i dont think a revolution will happen as the 'average' Western person has been stupified by poor school systems, mindless tv and multimedia and general apathy at how the system works due to its complex nature. The 'average' person is happy just struggling along and as long as they can meet the mortage or get the dole they dont care enough to revolt.

Thoughts?

I totally agree with this. I believe one of the biggest dissapointments about the society i live in is the number of people who aspire to cliche, stereotype and being average and feel good about themselves when they accomplish their aim. It probably has a lot to do with human nature and the need to feel wanted / admired / liked / loved by others.

 

[GumbyLearner]

No. Aussies love to relax too much and would rather whinge about government action after it has already occurred. Plus the demographic of Australian is becoming increasing weighted to the side of the baby boomer and retiree. They have the best nest eggs and the best jobs. I dont see them wanting to revolutionize the system. Im sure they would get angry as well if they had to volunteer to pay for the free education they got in the 70s (Im sure Krudd's front bench would! )

And Kennas is right coups only go down in places like Fiji.

Australian revolutions are a party political affair. They either involve political party donations from ruthless individuals immune to the rule of law or branch stacking/ballot stuffing practices of people who think this qualifies them so they can tell you they know whats good for your life and how you should live it. Thats about as revolutionary as we Aussies get.

With all that said, OZ is a much better place than Zimbabwe right now.

 

[shaunQ]

I agree... but you have little hope. I was speaking to my sister-in-law, 28, the other day. Nathan Rees came on the TV and she said... "Who is that guy!"... Oh, thats the new Premier that took over to Iemma I said.. "Oh. She said. And whats the Premier do?"

I tried to explain but gave up. Apathy? Stupidity more like it.

 

[prawn_86]

Apathy? Stupidity more like it.

Probably. Im apathetic, yet i know a reasonable amount about it. So yeh, stupidity is probably a more apt way of describing a vast majority of people

 

[investorpaul]

People in western countries would not want to risk what they have with a revolution.

Why would even an average citizen on $55k a year, living in a first would country, with a public hospital and education system (although not perfect), with normally good prospects for the future want to get involved in anything such as a revolution or over throwing the government.

All that would do is create instability that would last decades and ruin their life.

Governments are a fact of life, no one will every like them and they will never do everything right but it is the best we have. If the gov was overthrown what would happen..... another government would be formed and you would have the same problem

 

[prawn_86]

People in western countries would not want to risk what they have with a revolution.

Why would even an average citizen on $55k a year, living in a first would country, with a public hospital and education system (although not perfect), with normally good prospects for the future want to get involved in anything such as a revolution or over throwing the government.

All that would do is create instability that would last decades and ruin their life.

Governments are a fact of life, no one will every like them and they will never do everything right but it is the best we have. If the gov was overthrown what would happen..... another government would be formed and you would have the same problem

So you dont think there will come a point in time, where the pooling of wealth into fewer and fewer hands (as is happening now) will not be tolerated?

US citizens taxes are been used to pay the wages of the very people who shouldn't need it. Profits are privatised and losses nationalised so the select few get richer and richer.

I think that maybe, just maybe, in 100, 200, however many years people will rise up. Or they will be too stupid by then to care what their 'overlords' do or say...

PS - What your saying makes sense for this point in time...

 

[sinner]

I would say, revolution in a society is about as unavoidable as recession in an economy. The timeframe might be measured over decades and centuries though, rather than the 1 hour chart :

But will there be a revolution in the Western world (excluding France and the French who actually seem to give a **** and will go to the streets at the drop of a hat)?

No.

Not before and not during, not until after people have had their cushy bubble-like comfort zone removed from them.

When they are hungry and poor and beaten down with no hope for the future, that is when we will see revolution.

Will that day come? Who knows. Young people always want revolution. It's the "young" state of mind that the old can be replaced with the new.

The fact of the matter is usually everyone regrets conflict once it is over (regardless of justification or right/wrongness), so be careful what you wish for. Especially if you are lucky enough to have never experienced a warzone.

A nice quote from Marilyn Manson's song - Disposable Teens

"You say you want a revolution, man and I say that you're full of ****!"

Another good quote who's attribution I forget (pretty sure some American guy):

"The three boxes of change: Soap, Ballot, Ammo. Use in order."

Thomas Jefferson

1787 Nov. 13. "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it's natural manure." (to W. S. Smith, B.12.356)

 

[investorpaul]

So you dont think there will come a point in time, where the pooling of wealth into fewer and fewer hands (as is happening now) will not be tolerated?

US citizens taxes are been used to pay the wages of the very people who shouldn't need it. Profits are privatised and losses nationalised so the select few get richer and richer.

I think that maybe, just maybe, in 100, 200, however many years people will rise up. Or they will be too stupid by then to care what their 'overlords' do or say...

PS - What your saying makes sense for this point in time...

As you noted I was basing my answer on what will/can happen within the foreseeable future. Sure people get annoyed that x% of the population earn more in a week than they do in a year and there are a great number of equalities in the world but I do believe it would have to get pretty drastic (and a great deal more so than it is now for a revolution)

That said in 100 or 200 years no one knows what the world will look like and you could never discount it. There could be wars, climate change issues, resource/oil issues amongst hundreds of other events that could significantly change the world and any number of those could lead to a revolt.

 

[Happy]

There is only 3 ways to replace a government.

1. Win an election. This is 99.99% impossible for any but the major parties to do due to historical links and salience, and general voter apathy.

2. Start a war. Only 'works' if you are invading a country

3. Create a revolution.

Thoughts?

4. Mass suicide

Might not change the Government but might change the way they govern, once they start duing it to themselves and realise that something has to change.

 

[GumbyLearner]

So you dont think there will come a point in time, where the pooling of wealth into fewer and fewer hands (as is happening now) will not be tolerated?

US citizens taxes are been used to pay the wages of the very people who shouldn't need it. Profits are privatised and losses nationalised so the select few get richer and richer.

I think that maybe, just maybe, in 100, 200, however many years people will rise up. Or they will be too stupid by then to care what their 'overlords' do or say...

PS - What your saying makes sense for this point in time...

I dont think it will happen in OZ.

Recently I read an article about one of Madoff's mansions being "vandalized" with toliet paper by annoyed trust-fund kiddies in protest of their parents losses due to his Ponzi Scheme.

Imagine if Madoff was an Aussie. Then his property would have been vandalized by a bunch of lentilburger eating hippy thought police trust-fund kiddies and they wouldnt have used toliet paper rather Green Left rags. The self-serving elites are on both sides and it wouldnt serve either of their interests to have a revolution.

But hey dude, be cool like and inclusive man

 

[theasxgorilla]

I agree... but you have little hope. I was speaking to my sister-in-law, 28, the other day. Nathan Rees came on the TV and she said... "Who is that guy!"... Oh, thats the new Premier that took over to Iemma I said.. "Oh. She said. And whats the Premier do?"

I tried to explain but gave up. Apathy? Stupidity more like it.

If someone can get through 28 years of life without knowing this doesn't it indicate something about the relative influence of government on our lives?

 

[Wysiwyg]

Only if life becomes too uncomfortable.

With social security nets this won`t happen.Sheesh, if you got no money the government will give you some. You can choose life on the dole ... a pleb job eking out an existance ... a cruisy number on good wages or an occupation pulling in the big bikkies.

The economic cycles are repetitive but the duration of each cycle varies so it is possible to apply financial sense and avoid becoming an economic downturn victim of layoffs, reduced income or investment price depreciation.That`s what everyone on this forum aims for through trading isn`t it. : Profiting up or down.

 

[Glen48]

On Letterman one night they had news headlines and some Woman in a Trailer park who's trailer caught fire explained the Lounge Suite had been smouldering for three days before exploding Now i realsie why we have a Credit bubble with Brains like that.
I guess while we keep voting for em they will keep getting elected.
As the experts say Some one should do sumfing.

 

[So_Cynical]

No the general population will never revolt...manipulation of the masses is
a fine art now....with our political system change comes super slow.

Climate change is a great example...the political will has only just arrived to
do something, after almost 20 years of growing evidence and organized inter
governmental exchange....we are now at the place where a crappy 5% target
is political acceptable.

If u look at history's great (successful) revolts...the general populace needs to
be hit over the head many many times, with a great big stick to even think about
doing anything.

 

[bassmanpete]

The trouble with revolutions is that they are generally started by idealists who really intend to make things better for "the masses". Once their revolutions succeed they tend to get bumped off by the thugs and bullies (think Lenin and Stalin) who take the power, and just about everything else, for themselves and their cronies and the masses end up no better off.

 

[wayneL]

Only if life becomes too uncomfortable.

With social security nets this won`t happen.Sheesh, if you got no money the government will give you some. You can choose life on the dole ... a pleb job eking out an existance ... a cruisy number on good wages or an occupation pulling in the big bikkies.

The economic cycles are repetitive but the duration of each cycle varies so it is possible to apply financial sense and avoid becoming an economic downturn victim of layoffs, reduced income or investment price depreciation.That`s what everyone on this forum aims for through trading isn`t it. : Profiting up or down.

Here is the absolute crux of it. People will only revolt when they feel they have nothing left to lose.

People with something to lose... house, car, income, etc won't rock the boat. It's all about self-interest.

The tin foil hat society even speculate that western governments have created a debt fueled consumer lifestyle (AKA debt slavery) specifically to control the masses in this way. Whether that was an intentional ploy or not, the effect is real.

Revolution means the temporary (and possibly permanent) destruction of the current lifestyle. Western folk have been educated to regard "lifestyle" as paramount over all else, even over happiness and principle.

Until a majority of people have nothing left to lose, don't expect any sort of rebellion past sectional interests such as industry groups etc.

It's why we all endure the ludicrous tax take to bribe for votes and waste. To rebel against tax (unless everybody does it) involves destruction of lifestyle.

 

[Nyden]

So long as I'm happy, nothing else really matters We live in a global world (society?) these days. Don't like your country? Leave it, simple as that! :

One can waste their entire life trying to better this world, and it'll never work. If everyone were to try to better themselves instead, we'd have no problems.