More than 100,000 protesting in Madrid, Spain - Surrounding/Occupy the Parliament (UPDATED), page 13

Originally posted by reppie
What's the point of protesting? We all know the outcome. In the end, the protestors will get tired and go home. Business as usual, the rich laugh while the rest fight each other in the name of country, race, god, and whatnot. Same old story, recycled since 3000 bc.

How many revolutions have we seen in the last five years?

How many revolutions can we see throughout the course of Human history? And if there are that many successful revolutions in recorded history, imagine how many there have been which remained unrecorded, from towns overthrowing their regional elite to more remote communities taking back power for themselves from invaders... Protest and revolution are a part of life, it's a natural cycle.

When one group of elitist rulers seize control of a people it's only a matter of time before those rulers become self-serving and corrupt (absolute power corrupts absolutely) and it's only a matter of time before the citizens realize this and cast off those chains to remove their rulers.

The question shouldn't really be "why bother?", the real question should be "why has it taken so long this time?"

While it's true to say that religion, race and politics will always play a part in any social turmoil, that doesn't always automatically mean failure and a return to the same situation. Did America immediately return to the same situation after revolution? Did Iceland? Did France? Did Spain?

No.

Traditionally there is a golden age, a time of national flourishing and growth unlike any that came before it. The people rally behind their freedom, culture, art, music, politics, education... when you look at any process of revolution you see something remarkable happen immediately after it. There's an equality and sense of fairness as things become more balanced. Those newly in power have a fear, they have people to answer to.

Sure, people become complacent and they end up forgetting that, they become used to their life the way it is and they often go back to electing the same type of corrupt politician, the system becomes increasingly corrupt and divisive once again, those in power start to abuse it... and then the cycle continues and they are removed.

The only differences this time seem to be that it's on a global scale, and that the people have allowed it to continue for too long without protest and without action. Instead of resetting the system of governance a few decades ago (the 1980's was probably the right time for a real revolution to cleanse the system of corruption here in the UK, and possibly in the US too) people have allowed it to continue beyond its lifespan.

It should also be pointed out that rather than overthrowing an elitist landowner or religious ruler, the people are now trying to overthrow a corporatocracy that is embedded within business and government. The corruption permeates more of society from the food we eat to the energy we use and the politicians we elect. This is no longer just a king trying to tax the plebs, this is a corrupt system of governance with corrupt partners throughout the world, with tentacles in our lives in every aspect.

They no longer just rule from an ivory tower and send their mercenaries to collect our wealth for their own use, they control our finances, they control our produce, they control our armies and local police, they control the media, they control the energy we use, and - worst of all - they control the people we elect to do their bidding for them while stuffing their pockets with cash.

In my opinion, the ruling classes have proven that they have absolutely no intention of changing. Every passing week there is a new revelation of how corruption has seeped into government from business, and seemingly every week we're told that the last example of corruption was "unacceptable", but that nothing is actually to be done about it, and nothing is actually going to change.

I believe there should be a revolution, a peaceful one. I believe the people should remove their failed political systems, shut out the businesses, lobbyists and religious factions and start again. We know it's not going to be that easy, and that those with power will cling to it with everything they have, even if it means killing their own people. They are fanatics, psychopaths and warlords.

Unfortunately, when these corrupt people are threatened, most become just like Assad, Gaddafi and Mubarak. The fact that we are "the West" means nothing to those in control. Mark my words, they will not hesitate to label all protesters as "terrorists" and find ways to justify their disposal.

And that is when the real revolution will begin. Just as it has in numerous other nations around the world. If only the masses saw ho much power they have and the effects of removing their money from the system controlling government - it would make the process much safer and significantly weaken the machine funding despotic regimes.