A French Style Revolution in USA Possible in the Near Future?

He makes a very strong case for the middle class, the $15/hr minimum wage is a good idea.
Those of us with more experience will just get more than that, that's good too.

Now more Seattle people can afford to go see the Hawks play too.

a reply to: fartsmeller46

Dividing and conquering is a powerful tool and perhaps that's how they would thwart such a Revolution. It saddens me that these events such as the French and Bolshevik Revolution aren't taught in school. Although I understand they have what could be considered "Anti-American" political ideologies of socialism and communism, I still believe one must be taught more history than just their own to avoid repeating it. I didn't even know what the French Revolution was until college... sad.

I suppose they don't want anyone to get any ideas.

There is not a snowballs chance in hell ANY revolution will happen in ANY Western country. Maybe a 100 years ago but the powers that are in charge(whether you like them or not) have a bigger and better equipped gang that any civilians could come up with. Take Ferguson for example (as most of you believe that is the spark) it's rioting yes but it also could be classed as a rebellion. Now the crunch is 1:- there are only trashing their own community and 2:- they are not using loads of guns, as a proper revolution would have to do to overthrow a greater force. So believe me if the rioters (or anyone else) were to start any sort of armed rebellion they would be squashed under a vastly greater force that you haven't even seen yet. Revolution, nah, just fanciful musing. There is ONLY one way to change the situation and that is through the ballot box. But you don't want to believe that do you? Run out all the trite statements "You can't trust the politicians " ,"It's a waste of time voting","It's a conspiracy we are oppressed" and all other such BS. It really is in you're power to change the government. They don't want to believe that you have that power, but it's there. You just have to get the right people in power and not the usual rich, privileged people that always seem to come out of the woodwork when its voting time.

originally posted by: fleabit
Even the lowest paid, meager-living, hard American life would be envied by humans in so many countries. Get some perspective.

The issue isn't how high the lowest level of living is. People weren't occupying Wallstreet because they lived like the poor in Somalia. You clearly don't have a grasp on the issue whatsoever.

But ATS going overboard with their opinions is nothing new. Unjust actions? Beheadings must occur!

Discussing a current situation and bringing up relevant historical events isn't 'going overboard'. Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.

originally posted by: crayzeed
There is not a snowballs chance in hell ANY revolution will happen in ANY Western country.

You clearly haven't studied a revolution in any meaningful way. The people sit down and make plans to revolt. They use the military experience they were taught by their government. They capture weapons depots and communication means quickly. Government leaders are rounded up quickly before they can flee and arrange a counter attack. Fergurson isn't even remotely a revolution and that goes to show how little you understand the topic. In today's world with communication via Internet the initial wave of revolt would be massive, unlike in the past where it was city by city. America, with it's massive amount of weapons held by private citizens is well suited for armed revolt.

Opinions like "it will never happen here" are funny. Classic head in the sand stuff.

a reply to: asmall89

yes there are parallels between pre-revolutionary France and the US of today in the ways you have stated. but there is another historical comparison at play as well. "bread and circuses". that from the Roman times. make sure people have food for the most part. think welfare and foodstamps. that not only helps keep bellies full warding off actual starvation, but also adds dependence on those (the government) handing out the food. how many would consider rising up against those that feed them. the dog is rather unlikely and unwise to bite the hand that feeds it. most would agree that there are many on welfare that would rebel at the thought of being provided for being taken away, it is their right to be taken care of, and to then likely worth fighting for.

then there is the circuses, keeping people's attention away from worries and concerns through entertainment. just like the coliseum games of Rome, today people are too busy staring at a TV screen, video game, computer monitor, or spots, to care much about what goes on around them. heck people even forget to eat and sleep while playing video games, too wrapped up in the game to realize how much time has even passed. just look how emotional people will get over a sports star and what they get paid. people who can barely afford to live will be freaking out that Joe Blow is being ripped off because he has only been offered one MILLION dollars this year. or even all the 911 calls because Facebook went down.

as long as people have food and entertainment they can be kept docile. but just on the off chance that fails, they are trying to disarm everybody at the same time. ever wonder why a lot of the rich like Bloomburg are such anti gun fanatics? do you really think they care what happens to the peasants? no, they are concerned that if things go south they will be primary targets for the guillotine, just like the rich French aristocrats were. some people do remember history and learn from it. they too see a big similarity between today and situations from history like the French revolution, as well as how Rome put off such a problem. i suspect that is one reason protests like the occupy movement, and protests at things like G-20 summits are put down so harshly. they can't take the chance of the spark igniting, and a revolution against the rich and governments starting.

originally posted by: noeltrotsky

originally posted by: crayzeed
There is not a snowballs chance in hell ANY revolution will happen in ANY Western country.

You clearly haven't studied a revolution in any meaningful way. The people sit down and make plans to revolt. They use the military experience they were taught by their government. They capture weapons depots and communication means quickly. Government leaders are rounded up quickly before they can flee and arrange a counter attack. Fergurson isn't even remotely a revolution and that goes to show how little you understand the topic. In today's world with communication via Internet the initial wave of revolt would be massive, unlike in the past where it was city by city. America, with it's massive amount of weapons held by private citizens is well suited for armed revolt.

Opinions like "it will never happen here" are funny. Classic head in the sand stuff.

There is not a chance in hell a "revolution" in the US will start any time soon, for MANY reasons:

* A revolution would normally come from the middle-class, the majority of people. PROBLEM: The middle-class in the US has simply not enough time to "sit down and make plans". They are too busy with work, some of them multiple jobs at the same time. (THIS is different if you compare to Europe where more people on avg. work a lot less, have more free time, more holidays. When you're too occupied with work you simply don't have time, not only for "revolution", even enough time to get informed about politics in general or whatever else.

* The young generation is ignorant and disinterested in politics. As compared to the 60s where there was a spark of revolution because of the vietnam war etc, TODAY's young people are on social media, play games etc.. and are in general extremely un-educated and ignorant...so there is no revolution coming from there either.

* The US has a pathetic two-party political system which for decades is only a ping-pong of Rep, Dem, Rep, Dem etc....where outsiders and potential "revolutionaries" DON'T EVEN GET VOTES and don't have a chance. People will vote a monkey either on R or D, nothing else. (Ralf Nader anyone....? : ) If your political system (ie: your voters) don't even give outsiders a chance, how should there ever be a real revolution possible?

* For a majority of people to stir up a revolution they will need to accept change. Problem: The US American generally speaking DOES NOT LIKE CHANGE. You have already big problems with changes like for your health care system etc...homosexuality etc....if you cannot even get such trivial little "revolutions" going, how on earth should a big revolution happen with significant changes, a revolution which would turn the entire system upside down?

WON'T....HAPPEN....

>>
it's massive amount of weapons held by private citizens is well suited for armed revolt.
>>

The amount of weapons in cupboards etc. is entirely IRRELEVANT. And by the way, a revolution doesn't HAVE to be "armed".
I want to remind of revolutions at the start of the 90s, eg. this revolution which ultimate brought down Communism, where people in Eastern Germany and other formerly communist nations rebelled and caused the collapse of their government.

The communist government in East Germany for example had not collapsed because Eastern Germans had guns in storage, in fact THEY brought down their (armed) governments without any weapons whatsoever.

Just pointing out that you're entirely wrong if you think that the potential for a revolution has anything to do with the amount of private weapons in the US. It has nothing, nothing WHATSOEVER to do with it.

a reply to: daaskapitalsir do you have children or nieces or nephews, im going to say no. otherwise you would understand that the childs life means more than yours at least in your eyes. if I seen my nephews or nieces starving due to the government putting the needs of the few over the needs of the many I would quite happily remove them from power regardless of the cost

originally posted by: NoRulesAllowed
Just pointing out that you're entirely wrong if you think that the potential for a revolution has anything to do with the amount of private weapons in the US. It has nothing, nothing WHATSOEVER to do with it.

I disagree with your statement entirely. The amount of weapons available to citizens helps begin revolutions as well as helps them be successful. A few revolutions where the government fled without fighting back does not outweight the vast number of revolutions around the world that involved weapons.

I forsee a future where the common man will never ever change. This standard will foment ideals and speculation from the rich that the goose will lay and lay gold eggs for time eternal. Corrections, paradigm shifts fooooookiin' whatevers will be confronted and corrected for ever and ever. Isn't this great?
Finnaly rich mankind will solve the issue of entropy

a reply to: noeltrotsky

You over simplify the logistics. Yes it takes careful planning but the most crucial point is not the minority that plans the rebellion (no matter how much military training they've had) it's the co-ordination and mobilising of a greater mass of people than the opposition. By a mass of people I mean thousands all with the same mind and motivation. That my friend is what you will never have as the authorities have more ears to the ground than you can imagine and nip it in the bud and the states are too fragmented to mobilise the masses. As for Ferguson, They think they are rebelling and technically they are rebelling against the state I did not say it was THE rebellion.

Tell me what i need to do to start this revolution.

It sure needs a revoloution but alas the USA has far too many cowards and turn coats that it might never happen and all we need now is one little false flag and to buy into the governments soloution and we are all stuffed

a reply to: HAZE3

That's the real question isn't it. It would probably start with writing articles and opinion editorials on websites and newspapers. Then rallies with speeches from "revolutionaries". Then civil disobedience. If that doesn't work then who knows where it would go from there.

That's how most revolutions start anyway. People are currently too busy to take to the streets, but that will change once unemployment goes up.

a reply to: HAZE3

Oh and the creation of art is a powerful tool to bring about social change.

a reply to: Shamrock6

By this logic the man who got choked out for selling single cigarettes shouldn't have been breaking the law, right? I mean, he had to have paid tax on them at some point... oh wait... I forgot... He didn't have any cigarettes.

Sorry, but every injustice just adds to the heap that is steering us in the direction of change. It needs to be peaceful, and it's going to take the masses getting together to make it happen, but it needs to occur.

a reply to: asmall89

Unfortunately, it is.

Appeasing Envy - Giving the Bullies What They Want - An Invitation to Revolution