Andreas Whittam Smith: "Western nations are now ripe for revolution."

Note: I don't advocate revolution...or anything else, for that matter, but digging in and tending to my own survival -- which I continue to do, increasingly to my satisfaction. Don't shoot the messenger. - Silent Thunder


Above: German revolutionaries celebrate victory in Berlin, March 1848


Interesting opinion piece in the Independent by A.W. Smith that claims the Western world is now "ripe for revolution."

Smith compares the current situation to the climate in Europe in 1848, when dissatisfied Europeans from many walks of life took to the streets to protest inequality. At first the movement was peaceful, disorganized, and lacking in a strongly focused message, other than ambient anger at an elite perceived as unfairly monopolizing wealth and opportunity. Sound familar?

But then things got...uglier.


Above: Map of major flareups, Eurpe 1848

History doesn't repeat, but it often rhymes, as Mark Twain reminded us. In the article linked to above, Smith points out the following:

"...Writing of the European revolutions of 1848, for instance, one historian recently noted: "At the beginning of 1848 no one believed that revolution was imminent."... I have turned to 1848, when much of continental Europe took to the streets in what came to be called the Spring of Nations, or the Springtime of the Peoples or the Year of Revolution....

...Professor Stearns wrote that most of the revolutions of 1848 broke out rather haphazardly. "There was usually a brief, confused period of demands and demonstrations, during which governmental uncertainty helped prolong the tension." No change in that regard, then.

And Professor Pouthas added that when the 1848 revolutions broke out, "its leaders and instigators were intellectuals devoid of political experience, not men of action". This amateur aspect of the protesters of 1848 is repeated today. A description wouldn't be very different from Professor Pouthas'. In 2011 one would say the "leaders and instigators" of the protests are women's rights organisers, self-employed IT consultants, middle-class, jobless squatters, unemployed music teachers, freelance artists, charity volunteers, social workers and media studies students, all of whom, like their predecessors in 1848, are "devoid of political experience, not men and women of action". Surely, one might reflect, there is nothing to fear from such a group

More at source (The Independent)

Does a look at 1848 suggest a possible future for today's Western nations?


Above: Josefsplatz in in Vienna gets the torches-and-pitchfork treatment, 1848


Above: Revolutionaries "man the barracades" and take it to the strets of Europe, 1848

The idea of a "Violent" revolution in the US cant happen. The police state is to prevalent, that and the will of the majority of the people do not support it as of right now. It cant come from the military due to its structure unless it was a mass conspiracy. What we are seeing is this group of people who don't represent a large faction of the population making their voices, should they get violent it will be a quick and swift defeat. Yes their will be fall out but not the likes to destroy the institutions behind them. Regardless of my thoughts the article is good and food for thought on the issue.

The idea of a revolution nowadays in Western countries, period, is laughable. No matter how justified, LEOs would descend upon us and enforce the status-quo because that's their job.

And anybody who wants a different system is a < insert random insult here > and probably a criminal to boot.

Originally posted by trooperdoom
The idea of a "Violent" revolution in the US cant happen. The police state is to prevalent, that and the will of the majority of the people do not support it as of right now. It cant come from the military due to its structure unless it was a mass conspiracy. What we are seeing is this group of people who don't represent a large faction of the population making their voices, should they get violent it will be a quick and swift defeat. Yes their will be fall out but not the likes to destroy the institutions behind them. Regardless of my thoughts the article is good and food for thought on the issue.

You, my friend are woefully misguided and seem to have fallen for the propaganda. THEY want you to believe we live in a police state. When all Hell broke loose in New Orleans many cops, realizing they were out numbered and outgunned ran for cover or started looting themselves. It wasn't until the national guard rolled in that the same cops suddenly found their badges and keys to their cruisers.

If something went national, there's no way the national guard could cover it. And though I would prefer it not happen, I would hope I was at an airport because when the word got out, the bitch ass punks working for the TSA would be the first to rip off their costumes before finding themselves cornered in the section of the men's room reserved for United States senators and other depraved exconvict sexual predators.

Just saying.

I wouldn't be so quick to say violent revolution couldn't happen in the US. What do you base this on? "Because it seems so different from what I see every day on TV?"

You don't need to have everyone (or even all that many people) involved to create serious violence, and you don't need to have a well-organized revolution for mobs of people to rampage. It's happened before in US history, and just because it hasn't happened recently doesn't mean it can't happen again. Imagine the damage a few hundred thousand armed people, perhaps loosely incited to some kind of violence through "social networking," could cause if they let it all hang out. 300,000 is only one-tenth of one percent of the US population, yet that many people with guns opening fire in urban cores could change the game overnight. Talk about your "one percenters!"

People on the internet often say "as long as Americans have their remote control and beer, porn, and prozac, nothing's going to happen." Don't know if you've been paying attention, but a lot of people have already lost access to most of that...

history does indeed repeat.. at this point too many in the west still to content, brainwashed by the propaganda and flat out afraid to do what must be done .. instead the state will further consolidate its grip and oppress the people even more.

Well done .. S&F

I absolutely agree that not only does it not have to be violent, it's the least likely scenario. I again draw your attention to Katrina. Immediately certain neighborhoods were off limits to cops with any brains.

The mere possibility of widespread violence in an urban setting exceeds the capabilities of any civilian police force. If the possibility did indeed exist BUT and this is a big but, lacked the obvious and clearcut targets of looters, I am betting my life that national guardsmen would refuse to carry out orders and fire upon unarmed yet determined civilians.

That is TPTB worst case scenario. Peaceful demonstrators refusing to leave the streets. Rogue cops and agent provocateurs have not been able to quell OWS.

It's coming alright. Oh, and BTW, if I were a FEMA employee, I'd also think it wise to steer clear of the aforemention section of men's rooms at the airports when the word got out on Twitter, bitches.