Similarities between 2021 America and pre-Revolution France

Started by arch warmonger, May 03, 2021, 06:51:27 PM

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arch warmonger

The origins of the French Revolution can often be lost among all the glorification and vilification of that same revolution. Most people seem to forget that the Revolution began as a rift in the ruling elite that originated from a massive government debt crisis. Long story short, after the Franco-English war of 1778, France was in massive debt and could not pay off the debt without a new tax. The French aristocracy had all the money because that's what the system was designed to do, but was unwilling to submit to a tax without documentation being provided by the king, which were not provided because of the secretive, haphazard manner in which the French monarchy traditionally managed its finances.

I see a similar setup occurring in the USA. You have massive government debt, you have wealth being monopolized by corporations and a professional class who do everything they can to avoid paying taxes, and you have a military industrial complex that routinely loses track of tens of billions if not trillions of dollars at a time and was never audited until 2018, an audit that it of course failed.

I don't know if the US will turn out the same way, with massive social unrest dissolving every institution save the military, but I don't see the current system lasting more than 10-15 years into the future.

aitm

Not a history professor but I think we’re closer to 1940 Germany.
A humans desire to live is exceeded only by their willingness to die for another. Even god cannot equal this magnificent sacrifice. No god has the right to judge them.-first tenant of the Panotheust

Shiranu

Quote from: aitm on May 03, 2021, 09:04:03 PM
Not a history professor but I think we’re closer to 1940 Germany.

Eh I would say 1920's Italy, but pick your poison, it doesn't matter anyways.
"A little science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you nearer to Him." - Louis Pasteur

drunkenshoe

Quote from: aitm on May 03, 2021, 09:04:03 PM
Not a history professor but I think we’re closer to 1940 Germany.

Dad? Perfect disguise. How have you been?
"science is not about building a body of known 'facts'. ıt is a method for asking awkward questions and subjecting them to a reality-check, thus avoiding the human tendency to believe whatever makes us feel good." - tp

drunkenshoe

Come on guys...that's my line. You wouldn't be able to post any of the common comments, if it was even close to those examples.
"science is not about building a body of known 'facts'. ıt is a method for asking awkward questions and subjecting them to a reality-check, thus avoiding the human tendency to believe whatever makes us feel good." - tp

arch warmonger

#5
Quote from: aitm on May 03, 2021, 09:04:03 PM
Not a history professor but I think we’re closer to 1940 Germany.

Quote from: Shiranu on May 03, 2021, 10:09:20 PM
Eh I would say 1920's Italy, but pick your poison, it doesn't matter anyways.

I mean it's possible to be suffering from the risk factors from multiple pre-revolution, pre-regime change countries from history.

Another similarity: a hyper-urbanized ruling elite. Might be less of a problem now because of communications tech, but there's definitely a big cultural rift.