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After dispossessing their fellow-citizens, oligarchs always import foreign labor
Note that this becomes a “national security” problem—the dispossessed peasants are no longer able to serve in the military. The “free market” does not decide well for the nation... it subverts it.
Not that the law didn’t try to fix the problem... but the rich are always looking for ways to ignore the law and prey upon their fellow citizens.
Behold, ancient Roman shell corporations
Behold, ancient Roman shell corporations
Gosh how could any country allow itself to be stripped of the means of production to be replaced by foreign labor?!?
Excellent. I believe this is Lefty, the dude who unflinchingly held his own hand in a fire and let it be burnt to a crisp to prove to his enemy that he wasn’t scared of him.
Sure seems unwise to let your own soldiers go homeless so that they’re just fighting to maintain their oppressors’ luxury! Who’d do that?!?
Also, note the Gospel-like saying at the top: Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests...
Also, note the Gospel-like saying at the top: Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests...
“If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.”
If you don’t listen to Martin, then you get Malcolm.
If you don’t listen to Martin, then you get Malcolm.
When you encounter legislative maneuvers to block your populist reform bill, you take the vote to the people.
Of course, the Experts can always be counted on to to make sure Democracy has the Correct Result, with or without Dominion Voting Systems.
Of course, the Experts can always be counted on to to make sure Democracy has the Correct Result, with or without Dominion Voting Systems.
When given the choice between either sacrificing some of their own wealth in order to keep the country together or keeping all their wealth and plunging their own homeland into civil war, the elite will always make the same choice: civil war.
Another strange Gospel parallel: like when Peter, to Christ’s displeasure, slices the ear off the Chief Priest’s servant
They will also give your friends Wuhan Flu to punish you
Cheat code: When they accuse you of crazy and wicked things, they’re revealing what they want and do for themselves. They’re projecting.
Don’t fuck with the sacred fire
If a political office (or a government) no longer fulfills the purpose for which it exists, should you keep it? Is it even a legitimate government?
Tiberius deposed his fellow tribune who was blocking the land reform bill, which violated the strict law that tribunes of the people were inviolable—so Tiberius had to justify his action.
Well, an anti-commoner commoner’s tribune is a contradiction, so he must not be a tribune!
Well, an anti-commoner commoner’s tribune is a contradiction, so he must not be a tribune!
Y’all ready to do this once we have our Tiberius?
When Tiberius motioned to his head to warn his followers he’s about to be assassinated, his assassins spread lies he was asking for a crown.
So don’t worry about “optics” or if it’s a “bad look.” The people who are going to interpret you in bad faith already want to kill you.
So don’t worry about “optics” or if it’s a “bad look.” The people who are going to interpret you in bad faith already want to kill you.
Once the mob decides upon a scapegoat, you win by being the most violent. And note that those whose positions are most in danger by the mob will themselves become leaders of the mob.
Another aspect of this story illustrative of Girard’s theory of mimetic violence: throwing Tiberius’s body into the river. The scapegoat is conceived of as a contagion that must be expelled from the city.
Pro tip for the elite (not like they’ll listen): Once you decide to go to war against your own people, you are doomed. they will eventually get the policies they want... AND they will still hate you and make sure you are destroyed.
Thanks for reading along with me. HT: @emeriticus for the reading recommendation. This is from Plutarch’s Lives, the account of Tiberius Gracchus.
