When Government Fails…?

As we watch world events unfold at an amazing pace, there are a number of questions about governance in the United States. With the unprecedented historic changes in the last year since Trump, MAGA, and other Fascist players have taken over, some things have become clear.

Corporate Dictatorship

Fascism is on the march to amass power in one sphere of society after another. The wanton destruction of the government becomes governance by spectacles of state police violence. This shows us what Corporate Dictatorship looks like. And now suddenly, the US is waging war against the world!

Climate Destruction

At the same time, Trump/Fascist is doubling down on coal and petroleum, which are now more expensive and far more destructive to the ecology than solar and wind. We are told that the US has the world’s most vibrant industrial economy, while it is actually in the global lead in replacing human labor. It seems that all they offer is destruction!

Immigration/Migration

Add to the equation the fascist justifications, from anti-immigrant lies to WOKE to DEI to denying ICE murders that we all see. None of this makes much sense! Do these fascists actually believe their own BS? Has the world gone mad? How can we make sense of these tumultuous events? It’s clear that the Fascists want us, the 99%, to blame and to hate each other.

It is amazing how fast things are changing – massive changes everywhere! Things are changing by the day, and the rate of these changes is increasing and overwhelming our comprehension.

Have things like this ever happened before? As we examine history, we can see that these are common characteristics of ruling class political power in collapse, regardless of era.

The French Revolution.

In 1789, the State and government of feudal France were completely paralyzed. Faced with economic collapse, the government had to raise money, but it could not pass tax laws because the Monarchy, the feudal landowners, the church, and the rising bourgeoisie each had veto power. The state became paralyzed and impotent. The revolution followed.

The Mexican Revolution.

In 1910, the government of Porfirio Diaz, based on the rule of the private property of landowners had looted the country for decades and open corruption ruled the day. The Diaz government could no longer implement any effective laws except to bolster the military. The Mexican people rose up against Diaz and the elite landowners. Led by Pancho Villa in the North and Emiliano Zapata in the South, took back their land and redistributed food and supplies to local communities. It took 10 years to establish a democratic government.

The Russian Revolution.

In 1917, the government of the Tsar could not even manage to get food to feed people in the capital. Across the country, government functions were simply ceasing. The people in charge and classes in power could only loot the government. The state was paralyzed. Faced with starvation and oppression, the workers and peasants of Russia rose up and, led by the working class, seized state power.

The Chinese Revolution.

In 1911, the Chinese people threw out the foreign powers that were controlling and exploiting their country. But they were replaced by rich land owners and businessmen who continued to loot the country at the expense of the poor. In 1928, Chiang Kai-shek took control of the government and ran it for the benefit of foreign and domestic capitalists. In 1938, Japan invaded China and the government was unable to function or defeat the invaders. The Japanese forces were defeated by the Workers and Peasants Red Army led by Mao Zedong and in 1949, the people of China claimed control of their country.

These revolutions initiated the global surge of revolutions in the 20th Century as worker and peasant revolutions rose to destroy the system of direct colonialism with constant revolutionary activity up to 1980 and beyond. A major goal was to seize control of their own national resources.

Why Governments and States Collapse

In every case, the pattern is marked by the inability of the ruling classes to rule at all, except by doubling down on armed force. In most cases, the rulers spent most of their time looting the government. In every case, the state became paralyzed and impotent.

In every case, the actions and thinking of these ruling classes could be wily and certainly backed up by armed power, but they were also exceedingly out of touch and obsessed with destruction. They could only destroy; they could not create.

V.I. Lenin described a Revolutionary Crises as when “the exploited and oppressed masses can no longer live in the old way, and when the exploiters are no longer able to rule in the old way.”

The question is, “Are we in a Revolutionary Crises?

What do you think?