What We Are Witnessing: A History Lesson

Today, throughout the Arab world, but also in other poverty-stricken countries (e.g., Bangladesh), we are witnessing popular push-back against the War Lords of the Global Plutocracy.

The War Lords of the Pentagon, the War Lords of the so-called "Defense" industry of the United States, have counterparts--partners in oppression--throughout the world.

Sometimes these War Lords rule openly (as in Mubarak's Egypt), sometimes they prefer to work behind the scenes--putting what the Pentagon likes to term a "civilian face" upon their activities (prime examples: the United States, the Russian Federation, the two Chinas, Turkey). But, whether open or clandestine, the rule of the War Lords is almost universal throughout the globe.

It has been thus since the rise of the city-state in Mesopotamia during the urban revolution of 3,000 BCE.

The rise of the city-state made possible concentrations of wealth and power in the hands of the few--the few that worked in concert with the violent, on the one hand, and the priestly class (typically apologists for power) on the other.

In response to the huge disparities of wealth and power that began to characterize what we now call "civilization" (literally, "citification"), there also rose up prophetic figures in diverse cultures throughout the civilized world. These figures challenged the right of the few to horde the wealth of their societies and to eat bread baked with the blood of innocents. In the process of articulating their protest, these figures ushered in what the philosopher Karl Jaspers termed the "Axial Age." They also founded (unintentionally) traditions which underlie many of the world's major religions.

Of course, the priestly/apologist tradition stands cheek by jowl with the popular prophetic tradition in these same major religions; this fact may help to explain the longevity of these religions: both oppressor and oppressed can draw water from the same well.

Because the repertoire of human behavior remains fairly constant over time, we ought not to expect to see the cycle of oppression and push-back end any time soon. We appear to have entered a new historical cycle.

The only light to lessen the darkness of this deep tunnel that humanity has dug for itself is that periods of push-back frequently result in short-term periods of genuine reform. The prophetic populace does obtain some degree of relief from the plutocratic war lords (usually at the price of extortion); and, for a time, the plutocrats withdraw to their villas and gated communities.

In response, the general populace itself retreats into a false sense of security (the sentiment which typically identifies one as a member of the fabled Middle Class).

After a generation or so, the plutocrats begin to implement their revanchement through the instruments of power that are always at their command.

We who identify with the prophetic populace should enjoy the approach of our latest "Prague Spring" while we can: and make the most of it. Genuine concessions can and will be made by the plutocracy if we remain vigilant and insist.

Rise up young lions of the Citified World! You have nothing to lose but your chains!

True, you will, in terms of economic reality, only exchange slavery for share-cropping or, at best, wage slavery; but in terms of your self-respect, you will truly glimpse the Promised Land.

Is that it? you ask. Is that the best we can achieve?

If history is any guide, I'm afraid so.

Paradise belongs to the eschatological future. Even the prophets themselves warned us of that.