Hi Graham, while I agree with everything you've said in this essay, I think there is one factor that you and most others omit. Since the early beginnings of civilization, 10,000 years ago there has been an unwritten rule that most people overlook: Any Governmental formation requires the majority of its citizens to obey and abide by the laws as written by its 'leading' members.
So long as the majority of citizens adhere to this unwritten rule that particular 'civilization' survives and even flourishes. I makes no difference if the civilization is authoritarian (meaning ruled - usually ruthlessly - by a very few despots and supporters; or 'democracy' (meaning rued by the citizens or their representatives)
If, as the case in my Country (the United States) right now, the 'rulers' [the evil triumvirate of musk-trump-vance] simply ignore or outright disobey any written law from the Constitution on down; the citizenry must either acquiesce to the authoritarians or revolt. Starting tomorrow, I hope, is th3e beginning of our revolt.
Hi Graham, while I agree with everything you've said in this essay, I think there is one factor that you and most others omit. Since the early beginnings of civilization, 10,000 years ago there has been an unwritten rule that most people overlook: Any Governmental formation requires the majority of its citizens to obey and abide by the laws as written by its 'leading' members.
So long as the majority of citizens adhere to this unwritten rule that particular 'civilization' survives and even flourishes. I makes no difference if the civilization is authoritarian (meaning ruled - usually ruthlessly - by a very few despots and supporters; or 'democracy' (meaning rued by the citizens or their representatives)
If, as the case in my Country (the United States) right now, the 'rulers' [the evil triumvirate of musk-trump-vance] simply ignore or outright disobey any written law from the Constitution on down; the citizenry must either acquiesce to the authoritarians or revolt. Starting tomorrow, I hope, is th3e beginning of our revolt.
I omit this???