How technology impacts upon revolutions.
Some people hold out the faint hope that the people will revolt against government backed corporate rule. Some hold out the even fainter hope that the people will rise up in a revolt against the creation of a police state. Neither will happen. Here's why.
The causes of ANY revolution so far can be stated simply, the social system in place failed to serve the needs of the masses. In bygone days when an low energy conversion agrarian social system got to a point where it failed to serve the masses a revolution took place.
The people have no bread:
Failure in a low energy society like everything else is gradual, so everyone
can see it coming, the populace cries out and if those at the top do not
respond with needed changes people can organize and bring about a revolution.
The failure of low energy agrarian systems do not affect the hand tool farmers nor the rich at the top so neither group saw any need to take part in a the revolution. This is no longer the case.
Let them eat cake!
In low energy social system failure there is time enough to organize a
revolution, plus there is at least something to eat during both the planning
stages and while the revolutionaries are fighting. This describes all past
revolutions.
Fact:
Ours' IS a machine age, high energy conversion society the reoccurrence of a
peoples' revolution is made impossible by the advent of technology.
The specter:
Failure of a high energy conversion social system will be horrid in it's
suddenness and terrifying in it's consequences due to the integration of all of
it's component parts! In about four days the cities will have no food
available, in less than two weeks the cities will have no potable water. Some
90% of our fellows live in cities.
2005 addenda: If you watched any video of the New Orleans catastrophe you may better understand the truthfulness of this part.
Everyone will be affected the high tech farmers of today will still be outstanding in their fields, but this time they will be staring at their huge out of gas tractors and dry irrigation ditches! Those at the top will be perched upon the window sills of their ivory tower office buildings trying to decide between a sudden death and a slow one as a bankrupt on the violence filled streets of a city with no food or water.
Those now in control of our society are also in the know. Although some are in denial, as those at the top WILL also be affected they are the group most likely to instigate the change to energy accounting, not the grassroots people.
NOTE: prior to December 12th to assure maintenance of public order and to prevent the specter depicted here a form of martial law will likely be declared as to which form it will be that remains to be seen.