Yesterday I watched a movie in which one of the characters was a major crime boss in a poor country. He was explaining to another how he had developed and maintained the support and loyalty of the simple people.
He said that if you control people with fear and force, sooner or later they'll become fed up and fight back. His power, he said, came from giving them schools for their children and food to those in need, something they had never had before. For this, the people loved and were loyal to him and protected him from the law and his enemies.
The theme was a familiar one. Demagogues have used those methods for centuries.. Even today, in the so-called "Arab Spring", those countries in turmoil are the ones who tried to rule with force. Here in the USA, we have had, and have today, demagogues who have out-promised their ability to deliver. As in the former Soviet Union, we have had to demonize and steal from the wealthy to try to meet those promises, but are still running short. As a great Lady once said, "The trouble with Socialism is that sooner or later, you run out of other peoples' money."
When the end comes and the demagogues' supporters no longer receive all the things which they had been promised and had been receiving, the people turn on the demagogues as they have, and are still doing, in Europe. When the gifts run out, power resorts to force and riots and revolutions ensue.
A system which teaches its people how to take care of themselves and creates an environment where people can become successful and provide those things for themselves, will always be more successful. It satisfies that primitive instinct of independence and survival and instills pride and confidence. The demagogue's model enslaves a man and deprives him of his dignity, which in the end, causes him to turn on his former masters.
He said that if you control people with fear and force, sooner or later they'll become fed up and fight back. His power, he said, came from giving them schools for their children and food to those in need, something they had never had before. For this, the people loved and were loyal to him and protected him from the law and his enemies.
The theme was a familiar one. Demagogues have used those methods for centuries.. Even today, in the so-called "Arab Spring", those countries in turmoil are the ones who tried to rule with force. Here in the USA, we have had, and have today, demagogues who have out-promised their ability to deliver. As in the former Soviet Union, we have had to demonize and steal from the wealthy to try to meet those promises, but are still running short. As a great Lady once said, "The trouble with Socialism is that sooner or later, you run out of other peoples' money."
When the end comes and the demagogues' supporters no longer receive all the things which they had been promised and had been receiving, the people turn on the demagogues as they have, and are still doing, in Europe. When the gifts run out, power resorts to force and riots and revolutions ensue.
A system which teaches its people how to take care of themselves and creates an environment where people can become successful and provide those things for themselves, will always be more successful. It satisfies that primitive instinct of independence and survival and instills pride and confidence. The demagogue's model enslaves a man and deprives him of his dignity, which in the end, causes him to turn on his former masters.
No comments:
Post a Comment