There has never been a time in the History of Humankind, when Aggression and War have not been the Natural state of the World.
When the first hominids learned to walk upright, greed, attack and defense, were keys to survival. At first, Clans and Tribal units formed, for a simple strength in numbers tactic. Leaders were probably accepted, either because of their physical powers, and their ability to overcome others, or their hunting and gathering skills.
As agricultural, and communal survival strategies developed, there was, almost from the outset, two types of leaders…powerful militarists able to defend their positions and their communities, the first city-state kingdoms…and the Shamanistic leader, able to watch the stars, predict planting seasons, and rule from behind the thrones.
There were also two types of followers…those happy to accept any and all rules for their own prosperity gains, and those that followed because they had little other choice.
The following millennia have seen little improvement upon these basic human synergies.
Many philosophies have arisen in the course of human events, from Ancient Greece, to Medieval Feudalism, through Enlightenment, Democracy, Manifest Destiny, the Fourth Reich, and today, Corporate Globalism.
Power is an ever present fact. Power is amassed, dispersed, spent, and fought over. The Elitist believes this to be the only reasonable pursuit…the great masses cannot understand by themselves.
Utopians believe this Power can be used to uplift all of humanity, but most have morphed into little more than behavioral modifists, or cultist leaders.
Which, all too quickly, brings me to a point? Religion and Power have ALWAYS driven the human condition.
From a religious perspective, the “Rapture” may be some peoples way of solving and reconciling the human conundrum…for others it may be Taoism, Sikhism, Paganism, or Hebraic. But simply put, all religions seek to control, modify, or define people.
From a political perspective, whether an elite royalist, or secular democrat, or power swallowing cultist, it is the strong that rule, and set the future for all followers.
Power, in either case, is not wrested easily from those in control. Historically, it has always been through Arms, natural disaster, or benign neglect.
Democracy was to have alleviated this more banal, and troublesome pattern. And yet, we must struggle each day for its survival.
Fight or perish. Permanence is not natural.
-“A republic, madam, if you can keep it”