It’s nothing new.

Whenever a major country is in decline and approaching collapse, a contingent arises that does everything it can to speed up the process toward collapse. This is always done in the same way:

• Vilify the established rulers as being the culprits for the nation’s woes.

• Establish simplistic arguments to support that view. (The arguments need not be entirely logical or supportable, but they must have emotional public appeal.)

• Create simplistic rhetoric that supports the destruction of the establishment and its icons.

• Make the arguments and rhetoric as ubiquitous as possible (particularly through the media).

Then, like any recipe, turn up the heat and bake until done.

Generally, the destruction of the first icon (most often a statue) requires some sort of explanation, regardless of how flimsy the argument may be. After that has succeeded, praise is to be showered on those who took part, egging them, and others, on to do more. As each new icon falls, less justification is necessary and, in the end, only blind anger is required to keep the destruction going.

In the present era, we’re witnessing this age-old process taking place in quite a few countries, but notably in the US.

But, why the US—the one country in the world that began as possibly the most advanced, freest nation the world had ever seen? How did this come to pass in “the land of the free”?

Well, truth be told, no matter how inspired or sincere the founding fathers of any nation may be, those who would usurp them are always many in number and, in most cases, are prepared to do whatever it takes to slowly take power and return to tyrannical rule.

As Thomas Jefferson said,

Even under the best forms of Government, those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.

And, even in George Washington’s Cabinet, the rot set in early, with Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton continually seeking to subvert the objectives of Secretary of State Jefferson. Therefore, the degradation in the US system began quite early.

But why does it seem as though it’s speeding up dramatically now? Why is it suddenly pulling apart at the seams?

Well, for that answer, we can once again rely on Mister Jefferson:

Democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where 51% of the people may take away the rights of the other 49%.

And the US has passed that significant tipping point. The majority now depend upon handouts from the government. Once that occurs, it becomes easy to sell them the idea that, since they’re “entitled” to the handouts, they have a perfect right to be outraged that they’re not receiving more. (Again, logic is not necessary; what’s required is an emotionally-charged sense of victimisation.)

Historically, once a nation has reached this point, it never goes back. It’s ripe for a collectivist revolution. Ironically, in every collectivist revolution, the leaders have no intention of “freeing the people.” Their goal is to dominate them far more greatly than they presently had been.

Essentially, what we’re observing in the US is a standard collectivist revolution, but in slo-mo. At the same time as relatively pampered Americans are purchasing the latest pricey smartphones and buying a Toasted Graham Latte at Starbucks for $5.25, the sense of victimisation is well under way and the destruction of icons has begun.

The tearing-down of Confederate flags occurred. Statues of Robert E. Lee were destroyed and, recently, a plaque in a Virginia church honouring the seat where George Washington regularly sat has been under attack for removal.

In each of the above cases, the arguments have been increasingly flimsy, but no matter. As stated above, the reasoning need not bear scrutiny. All that matters is that it has an emotional attraction. As the destruction continues, the emotion will morph from indignation to blind rage as necessary.

And, as any revolutionary leader could attest, if he can succeed in inducing bling rage, no King, no Czar, no President can stand up to that rage for long.

It’s important to note that, in every country where collectivist revolution has taken place, only a small minority of the population has been necessary to bring about the unseating of conventional leaders. In some cases, the leaders have been killed. In others, they’ve been forced to flee the country quickly. In still others, the leaders have agreed to step down in disgrace.

What’s significant is not the manner in which the leaders were supplanted, but the direction that the country takes following the leaders’ downfall.

In the US, this may be as mild a change as the resignation of the president, followed by the election of an avowed collectivist that will transform the country.

It will matter little whether the new leader describes himself as a collectivist, socialist, democrat, or other term. The outcome will be the same.

In the beginning, there will be euphoria on the part of the 51%, who will see themselves as the heroes of change. What they will be, in reality, will be the pawns of the new order.

Recently, an American associate of mine sent me the link for the article describing the intended removal of the Washington plaque and asked, “Where does it end?”

Well, unfortunately, it doesn’t “end.” It continues for decades. (Collectivism can sometimes be maintained for generations before it finally flames out, due to lack of productivity and the weight of a costly top-heavy government.)

The folly is in hoping, as my colleague sometimes does, that the stampede toward collectivism will somehow magically screech to a halt and reverse its direction. The sad truth is that, historically, this has never happened. At best, we observe a revolution in slow motion, as is taking place in the US.

The question for the individual who’s likely to be impacted by this is whether he should rely on “hope,” or whether he should recognize that hope is not a plan.

Plans often prove to be challenging, costly, and difficult, but, for those who may soon be losing a large measure of their freedom, they are essential, if the outcome is to be a positive one.

Editor’s Note: Fortunately, you don’t have to draft your plan from scratch. We know practical steps you can take today to prepare for the fallout from America’s collectivist revolution. Get the details in our Guide to Surviving and Thriving During an Economic Collapse.

http://www.internationalman.com//articles/where-does-it-end