BidenPresident
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We don't agree on the political labels.
Our Nation is Run by an Oligarchy
- Thread starter BidenPresident
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We don't agree on the political labels.
BidenPresident
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How the oligarchy wins: lessons from ancient Greece
Ganesh Sitaraman looks at what two recent books – Classical Greek Oligarchy by Matthew Simonton and Oligarchy by Jeffrey Winters – can teach us about defending democracy from oligarchs
While the ruling class must remain united for an oligarchy to remain in power, the people must also be divided so they cannot overthrow their oppressors.
Oligarchs in ancient Greece thus used a combination of coercion and co-optation to keep democracy at bay. They gave rewards to informants and found pliable citizens to take positions in the government.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/15/oligarchy-lessons-ancient-greece
This article was written three years ago. Amazing how accurate it is.
Ganesh Sitaraman looks at what two recent books – Classical Greek Oligarchy by Matthew Simonton and Oligarchy by Jeffrey Winters – can teach us about defending democracy from oligarchs
While the ruling class must remain united for an oligarchy to remain in power, the people must also be divided so they cannot overthrow their oppressors.
Oligarchs in ancient Greece thus used a combination of coercion and co-optation to keep democracy at bay. They gave rewards to informants and found pliable citizens to take positions in the government.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/15/oligarchy-lessons-ancient-greece
This article was written three years ago. Amazing how accurate it is.
BidenPresident
Verified User
"The most interesting discussion is how ancient oligarchs used information to preserve their regime. They combined secrecy in governance with selective messaging to targeted audiences, not unlike our modern spinmasters and communications consultants."
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/15/oligarchy-lessons-ancient-greece
Notice the deliberate attempt to create groups of people and encourage them to oppose the other groups.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/15/oligarchy-lessons-ancient-greece
Notice the deliberate attempt to create groups of people and encourage them to oppose the other groups.
floridafan
Verified User
I ask for an honest answer, you refuse. I wonder why.
BidenPresident
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Because you are a troll. I don't wonder why. People like you just like to harass others because of your own unhappiness.
floridafan
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You are a sick, demented piece of work my dear. We can chat again when President elect Biden is sworn into office.
BidenPresident
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You are a hate troll. You came on the thread to ruin the discussion.
You demanded I talk about your topic rather than my topic.
WHY DON'T YOU START YOUR OWN THREAD?!
BidenPresident
Verified User
Winters declares that America is already a civil oligarchy. To use the language of recent political campaigns, our oligarchs try to rig the system to defend their wealth. They focus on lowering taxes and on reducing regulations that protect workers and citizens from corporate wrongdoing.
They build a legal system that is skewed to work in their favor, so that their illegal behavior rarely gets punished. And they sustain all of this through a campaign finance and lobbying system that gives them undue influence over policy. In a civil oligarchy, these actions are sustained not at the barrel of the gun or by the word of one man, but through the rule of law.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/15/oligarchy-lessons-ancient-greece
They build a legal system that is skewed to work in their favor, so that their illegal behavior rarely gets punished. And they sustain all of this through a campaign finance and lobbying system that gives them undue influence over policy. In a civil oligarchy, these actions are sustained not at the barrel of the gun or by the word of one man, but through the rule of law.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/15/oligarchy-lessons-ancient-greece
Well first off the elections AREN'T as close as we are told they are. It appears that there has been election fraud for some time now. I for one have never believed the lie that we were so divided. As a matter of fact while I do think most people do not believe in freedom and capitalism and find it easier to embrace poverty, disease, early death, enslavement, and the worshiping of cults of personalities such as Obama-nation I think most people when given accurate information would choose freedom and capitalism. That hasn't happen in a long time. Think since the 1950's concerning our mainstream media.
BidenPresident
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Who are these people rejecting freedom and embracing enslavement?
BidenPresident
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What you are writing is very vague and barely coherent. After platitudes about freedom, you don't have much to say.
Noking
Fight authoritarianism support Noking
Of idiot savants and retards, that sure sounds like Trump and his lackeys.
BidenPresident
Verified User
Like Giuliani. What a disgrace.
The oligarchy has been a long time making. Teddy Roosevelt warned us about wealthy people who had a long time plan to accumulate wealth and power. That is why he started the estate tax. That is why he started Trust-Busting, Wealth is power. Our wealth gap is worse than it was during the Gilded Age. What have Repubs done? Cut taxes to the wealthy and corporations forever. Trump did it too.https://www.minnpost.com/eric-black...evelts-attack-excessive-concentration-wealth/
Our wealth gap is worse than it has ever been.
Our wealth gap is worse than it has ever been.
BidenPresident
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Bottom right is the place for "reply with quote" and "edit." Just point cursor and click.
BidenPresident
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Trump is the definition of an insider. Amazing our nation fell for it.