At the moment I strongly dislike the Democratic party but support it because the Republican party is now seeking to end free and fair elections, and that's the absolute line in the sand for me. I wish it would reform, though, to deal with current conditions, and think that eventually it will have to if it gets the chance. Neoliberal authoritarianism seems like an epiphenomenon of wealth and I don't believe that it will hold up well in future. Christian nationalism by contrast seems likely to flourish and indeed escalate as economic conditions worsen; history shows that sacrificing scapegoats to one's god leaves more for the ingroup, after all.
I'm skipping over large sections of my manuscript for now, but a point I will make (gleaned from the writings of authors specializing in collapse, like Joseph Tainter and John Michael Greer, who have made it in more depth) is that complicated bureaucracy takes resources. Tyranny and even totalitarianism do not require high energy inputs, as many vicious alpha males through history have proven, but bureaucrats have to be fed, computers have to be powered, resources have to be made available for everything the state wants to do.
Right now we have busybody regulations (not only in blue states) that make it hard or nigh-impossible to house people affordably, provide child care affordably, make food or other goods at home for sale, etc. Will cities or states really dare to enforce such regulations when so many Americans are living in poverty that those informal activities are the only thing keeping tens of millions from homelessness and starvation? Will they be collecting enough tax revenue to pay enough enforcers - and will the enforcers still be supportive of the project? I think they will stay on the books long after they are no longer generally enforced, with potential negative consequences, but that overall our societal tolerance of less than desirable circumstances must increase as our ability to attain desirable circumstances decreases.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2022-08-03 03:05 pm (UTC)I'm skipping over large sections of my manuscript for now, but a point I will make (gleaned from the writings of authors specializing in collapse, like Joseph Tainter and John Michael Greer, who have made it in more depth) is that complicated bureaucracy takes resources. Tyranny and even totalitarianism do not require high energy inputs, as many vicious alpha males through history have proven, but bureaucrats have to be fed, computers have to be powered, resources have to be made available for everything the state wants to do.
Right now we have busybody regulations (not only in blue states) that make it hard or nigh-impossible to house people affordably, provide child care affordably, make food or other goods at home for sale, etc. Will cities or states really dare to enforce such regulations when so many Americans are living in poverty that those informal activities are the only thing keeping tens of millions from homelessness and starvation? Will they be collecting enough tax revenue to pay enough enforcers - and will the enforcers still be supportive of the project? I think they will stay on the books long after they are no longer generally enforced, with potential negative consequences, but that overall our societal tolerance of less than desirable circumstances must increase as our ability to attain desirable circumstances decreases.