History repeats itself. That fact has
proven itself time and time again.
Social and political scientists have gained a great deal of wisdom about leadership and
governance by examining thousands of years and hundreds of cycles of socio-political
conditions and the methods used to address the challenges that accompanied them.
If you were to study the patterns of events and circumstances faced by cultures and
nations over thousands of years, you would find that governments evolve in certain ways,
face the same kinds of opportunities and problems, and deal with the same kinds of
internal abuses and corruptions.
In time, they typically become defined by arrogant, aggressive and oppressive behavior,
and then fail either due to rejection by the citizens, defeat and repulsion by foreign
armies, or fail to provide an adequate infrastructure for employment and well-being which
leads to economic and biomedical collapse1.
(By biomedical collapse, I am referring to the environmental and social conditions
which led to plagues, drug-resistant bacteria and diseases - such as AIDS, Tuberculosis -
famines. These also occurred at times when many unusual meterological and geological
events were occurring)
I was fascinated, like most people, when Ronald Reagan pointed to the wisdom of the
phrase "We must look to the past to see the future".
I believed he was referring to the concept of learning how to avoid old mistakes in
order to improve the results in the future. I still believe that is true, but I also
believe that his statement was ambiguous and was the symptom of a particular agenda to
alter the free will and protections of Democracy for the ideological preferences of a
particular group of citizens.
Part of that agenda was to begin to impose certain moral and religious values into the
judicial and legislative processes. I believe the intention was honorable, but that
the method of imposing morality is wrong and ineffective, unconstitutional and a political
ploy pandering to certain groups and exploiting the preferences and beliefs of another
faction of citizens or peoples in order to organize hysterical nationalism against a
non-existent national enemy.
I always remember how the Pilgrims came to America with an expressed desire for relief
from religious tyranny and oppression by the aristocratic ruling class who sought to
manipulate law and its enforcement to their own benefit. This was at the heart of their
feelings of exploitation, persecution and serfdom2 and what they sought to
escape.
The designers of the Constitution were careful to ensure the separation of church
and state, as well as separation between branches of government.
They knew that human nature contains elements of behavior including the desire to
dominate or win, the tendency for extreme actions when faced with fear for survival or
fear of failure, and they understood the temptations of power and greed.
Their intent was to provide checks and balances that would cause government as a whole
to operate with the best interests of all the people in mind. And, most of all, that a
representative government would respect and be true to their oaths and commitments to
serve the will of all of the people.
They provided us with an eloquent document capturing and accurately expressing the
vision of free will guided by the simplicity and inclusiveness of the golden rule.
There are many lessons from history, history of societies and war, political strategies
and religious influence beyond the domain of religion.
The book "The Prince" by Machiavelli is an interesting book. Not the easiest
read, but it's very short and very explicit regarding what are considered to be the most
accurate description of how people have caused social and political revolution, with or
without the use of war or violence. It explains how the churches are used, how to
diminish the power of enemies, how to manipulate public opinion and many other useful
techniques for gaining and maintaining control of a nation.
What's most fascinating is to recognize that these leaders aren't necessarily following
some sort of "instruction book". Many times, people do things like rising up
politically because the circumstances of the times simply compel people with their
personality type and value set to take actions. Over time, a pattern develops in
human and historical nature, and people like Machiavelli observe it and record it.
Interestingly enough, as I discovered when I read it this last summer, the things that
I've been doing in order to gain a voice in our national discourse are described in the
book. It'll be more fun to let you figure out which chapter describes my political style.
You'll also find the political strategies of George Bush, Ronald Reagan, and the bulk
of the people most closely associated with the promotion and conversion to free-market
economics. That would include John Major and Margaret Thatcher of England. They are
time proven strategies. Most are based on the principles of oppression, misdirection and
deception. And the bulk of it is being done to force you into the New World Order, a
free-market based economic system front loaded to hand the government's responsibility for
the well-being and will of the citizens to be managed by multi-national corporations.
In Italy, they call it Corporate Society. In Canada, they call it Crown Corporations.
I call it Corporate Socialism. I call it that out of my acknowledgement that
free-market economics can work so long as it is uncorrupted, but it is not, as well as the
fact that the American people are having a new system of government forced upon them,
instead of being informed and being asked to accept or reject it in a Democratic manner.
You could easily make the case that the impeachment of President Clinton was a
Machiavellian political maneuver to diminish, if not destroy, the effective political
clout of one of the most popular and successful presidencies in 40 years. It's one
way to "deal with your enemies". Make sure they can't harm you once
they've been removed from the throne of authority.
What little I've just described of it expresses one way to use such information:
gaining and maintaining control and advantage.
I often say, any tool can be used for good, or it can be used for bad. Intent is
everything.
I understand the instruction of our forefounders, and I agree with them. I understand
the difference between structure and control. I know the difference between communication
and propaganda.
So when I look to the past, I observe the traps and politically expedient half-truths
and manipulations and desperate corruptions, and it causes me to consider and research,
for long periods of time, what can be done to make it turn out another way this time.
To get us out of the loop of insanity: doing the same things to solve the same old
problems and getting the same results, but continuing to do them anyway.
If looking to the past informs us of anything, it should inform us that the old
ways don't work, and that we need to try something new.
Footnotes:
1) "In the Wake of the Plague" by Norman F. Cantor
2) "The Road to Serfdom" by Friedrich von Hayek
