We have one of the most benign, wealthy, healthy and liberal countries in the world and you reach for the “R” word? You’ve got to be shitting me!?

Revolution is to democracy what government troops killing students is to expense-fiddling MPs.

Use the right tools for the job and know when they’re to be used. Bitch and whine if you must, but revolution? There’s probably the thick end of 6bn other people out there thinking you’re a lucky lucky bastard.

That’s a nonsense interpretation.

Why? If you are not completely self sufficient you are using the transport systems, health care, food supply chain, etc which depend on the contributions made by other members of society.

Our advanced society and standard of living is only possibly by cooperation.

You’ve all missed the obvious potential cause for revolution: a huge increase in tax on tea.

Our advanced society and standard of living is only possibly by cooperation.

Which the Tories are trying to rip apart. There’s no such thing as society, remember.

We have one of the most benign, wealthy, healthy and liberal countries in the world

Exactly. My grandparents were born in one room houses with no indoor plumbing or electricity. Anyone born in the UK or another first world democracy in the last 70 years in luckier than anyone else in history and the majority of people alive just now.

No such thing as society. Full quote.

“They are casting their problems at society. And, you know, there’s no such thing as society. There are individual men and women and there are families. And no government can do anything except through people, and people must look after themselves first. It is our duty to look after ourselves and then, also, to look after our neighbours.”

I agree with it. Society works from the bottom up not top down.

Wanmankylung, to answer your original question bacause most people don’t share your views as seen in the election results and a lot of posts on this thread. Surprisingly (for you maybe) a lot of people see the ongoing collapse of the left as progress, doesn’t mean people are happy with the Tories but they’re a better option than Labour or the SNP protest option.

As for your ascertion your nation didn’t elect it’s government, you’re not a sovereign nation, Scotland had it’s chance and didn’t take it, the Scots chose to remain part of the UK. Therefore your vote counts as much and as little as anyone else’s. In the nation you are a part of the Tories got into power with a majority.

So bottom line is not everyone shares your world view.

We have one of the most benign, wealthy, healthy and liberal countries in the world

You forgot unequal: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/15/wealth-inequality-uk-ticking-timebomb-credit-suisse-crash

So bottom line is not everyone shares your world view.

Therefore confirming my belief that people are idiots.

Therefore confirming my belief that people are idiots.

It seems they think the same about you!

Just as well not everyone shares your beliefs then, that way leads to dictatorships and totalitarian governments. Another good thing about our country, it has a form of democracy that allows the quiet masses to express their views without people like you being able to denigrate them.

I read this thread than had to go away and think about what set of circumstances could get the Brits in their apathy to rise up in any sort of coherent revolution.

What circumstances these days could give rise to a modern day Cromwell?

I really couldn’t think, we’re already more repressed than ever we have been in our history, but as long as we have the telly and our ‘stuff’ to buy i don’t think there’s much that would provoke much more than the odd march.

Maybe if in a total fantasy situation say Islam ever wrested Governmental control and tried to apply sharia law, but that’s about as far fetched as I could consider. It would have to be something pretty damned totalitarian.

I really couldn’t think, we’re already more repressed than ever we have been in our history,

I take it you haven’t studied history very closely?

I really couldn’t think, we’re already more repressed than ever we have been in our history

😆

I really couldn’t think, we’re already more repressed than ever we have been in our history,

😆

And no government can do anything except through people, and people must look after themselves first.

This is how the Philippines works and it is precisely for that reason, that it has the problems that it does. People do not care for society or the rule of law, what comes first is family. Corruption, bribery, violence and the extreme poverty of ones neighbour are all justified by the needs or wants of ones immediate family. Government is small, there is little regulation, I have said it time and time again but Americans of the libertarian bent should visit to see just what a laissez faire society looks like.

Most Tories wouldn’t be able to survive in such a society, machiavellian malefactors like myself on the other hand…do just fine. Be careful what you wish for.

More repressed than ever before?

Your view of history is sadly rose tinted

Yes, the Middle Ages weren’t brilliant.

However, just because it’s been a lot worse in the past doesn’t mean we have to be happy with the way things are now.

However, just because it’s been a lot worse in the past doesn’t mean we have to be happy with the way things are now.

However, if there hasn’t been a successful revolution in all that time & only a damp squib in 1381 then I would have thought the chances of one happening just now are rather small.

“what would be needed for there to be e revolution?” Easy access to large stockpiles of AK47’s and RPG’s seems to be a prerequisite (or the equiv for that period in time)

Didn’t we have one in the 1640s ish ?
Oliver Cromwell, remember him?
Kings Charles I & II?

However, just because it’s been a lot worse in the past doesn’t mean we have to be happy with the way things are now.

No.

But you need to have a believable mechanism for delivering improvement. And that’s not something I’m seeing.

I feed, shelter and cure myself. What is your point exactly?

I’m not given to rudeness on web fora but this little question proves either staggering ignorance or brazen disingenuity.

There couldn’t be a greater contast than in this thread between the majority who understand their responsibilities as members of a functioning society and the few who are only concerned with their rights.

Didn’t we have one in the 1640s ish ?
Oliver Cromwell, remember him?

The Civil War was not a revolution in the sense the OP means. It certainly wasn’t the peasants/working classes rising up against the opressors. Exactly what it was is still the subject of a debate, but essentially there wasn’t a great deal of difference between the Roundheads & Cavaliers in terms of class.

john_drummer – Member

Didn’t we have one in the 1640s ish ?
Oliver Cromwell, remember him?
Kings Charles I & II?

Exactly.
We don’t have revolutions anymore because we know how good we are at them.

The Glorious Revolution?

But you need to have a believable mechanism for delivering improvement. And that’s not something I’m seeing.

That’s the current problem – the Westminster system is not representative, so the votes of most people don’t matter – it’s possible to win complete control with only 20-30% of the vote. Then add in the second-largest unelected chamber in the World, and political parties which don’t have any principles other than “say whatever it takes to get elected”.

It’s no wonder voter turnout keeps falling – people don’t believe there’s much point.

The nation in which I live has one government with limited powers which it voted for and one UK wide government which it rejected massively. Despite there only being 1 our of 59 MPs a Tory, and 56 out of 59 being SNP we end up with a government that my nation did not vote for.

No…
But you did vote to take that risk.

It’s no wonder voter turnout keeps falling – people don’t believe there’s much point.

When feelings like these reach a certain point, they can be explosive when mixed with economic hardships.

All we need is the right set of circumstances. So yeah, we might not have an armed revolution…..but in the long term I can see the potential for serious political upheaval.

The Glorious Revolution?

What. When the existing King was replaced by his Daughter & Son-in-Law?

Where has all this rubbish about people are idiots, humans are selfish come from ? just who/what are we being compared with ? do the student gwants know of some other beings whose virtues are superior to ours ?

Where has all this rubbish about people are idiots, humans are selfish come from ? just who/what are we being compared with ? do the student gwants know of some other beings whose virtues are superior to ours ?

You think you are better than a chimpanzee? 😆

But it mostly stems from behavioural psychology studies.

http://www.globalrichlist.net/

If you’ve got more than 27k coming in you’re in the top 1% of the planet. Revolt about what, that I live in a safe, wealthy, powerful nation and can expect a long, trouble free and happy life?

Yeah, sign me up..

If you’ve got more than 27k coming in you’re in the top 1% of the planet.

65% of people in the UK earn less than that.

If you protest you get riot police trying to baton you like a caged wild animal.

You use firebomb or weapon they gun you down like ZMs …

But if you use poo … everyone disperse! Including the police not to mention that their family will not allowe them back into their own house for being stinking to high heaven.

I doubt they will machine gun you down because of you are throwing poo at them, besides everyone gets a good laugh out off it.

You want to fight ZM bureaucrats seriously then you are going to face the system. If you use poo … there is no way the system can react as it is a big joke on everyone.

Imagine the news headline “Poo assault!” or “It is full of Shite!” or “Please reduce red meat consumption coz your poo stink to high heaven”. It will create the biggest laughter of all …

Try it. I can assure you that even the media will not know how to handle it apart from calling poo throwers smelly bar stewards.

People threw stink bomb and did you see the reaction? Everyone dispersed! Including the police!

😆

65% of people in the UK earn less than that.

Yeah, top 2% is intolerable.

How well do revolutions actually work?

The French revoltion led to a chaotic time, got rid of a monarch, and series of so called republics where you actually had Napoleon the third… and they got invaded bythe Germans three times. You could argue that it is only since the mid 1960s that they actually managed to get effective democracy right, if slightly corrupt…

The Russian Revolution – well – that went well for the 20 million Stalin got to…

The Cultural revolution in China…

The American revolution – well, still a bit early to say… 😉 but there is an irony in a republican party considering Bush the third as King…. oops… President

I am playing devils advocate here… but really?

Stoatsbrother – Member
How well do revolutions actually work?

As well as human nature will allow.

Owen and Polly will be the next Cromwell, being in the top 1% of the UK (or Tuscany depending on the time of year) whilst railing against the establishment (as if being a paid talking head on the BBC doesn’t qualify you for that) fits the historical analogy well

65% of people in the UK earn less than that.

Actually income inequality is a prerequisite and integral component of the trigger for revolution.

Two days before the last General Election Alex Proud in the Daily Telegraph even asked the question “Why aren’t the middle classes staging a revolution?”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/11578214/Inequality-is-ruining-Britain-so-why-arent-we-talking-about-it-more.html

How well do revolutions actually work?

The French revoltion led to a chaotic time, got rid of a monarch, and series of so called republics where you actually had Napoleon the third… and they got invaded bythe Germans three times. You could argue that it is only since the mid 1960s that they actually managed to get effective democracy right, if slightly corrupt…

The Russian Revolution – well – that went well for the 20 million Stalin got to…

The Cultural revolution in China…

The American revolution – well, still a bit early to say… but there is an irony in a republican party considering Bush the third as King…. oops… President

I am playing devils advocate here… but really?

This one worked pretty well…

http://www.prague.net/blog/article/36/velvet-revolution