Jan 28th 2021, 16:01:28
I am a historian by hobby. My area of expertise is the late Roman Republic and the Roman Empire pre-crisis. This area of study actually lends well to my opinion on this matter.
You see the Romans were a lot like modern Americans. They built a Republic that they considered to be the most civilized and fair system in the world. They had 2 political parties vying for control over the government, they had rich people corrupting the system, they had elected judges and juries, and they even had a version of the modern electoral college.
Most of the American Republican system is based on what the Roman Republic did. Everything from term limits to filibustering to the electoral college were creations of the Roman Republic.
The course of US history has even followed that of Roman history quite well. We went from a small and idealistic but deeply flawed state and expanded out into the lands around the original nation. We expanded slowly using legal cover to ensure we appeared to be on the right side of the law. We both began to engage in naked land grabs as our borders expanded more each year. Then both Rome and the USA engaged in a massive and deadly series of conflicts that launched us into becoming the dominant power on earth.
It’s never going to be an exact match but the Roman Republic is similar enough to the modern US that we can learn from the mistakes of the Romans. We can apply the cause and effect of Roman events to modern America and predict the future with some accuracy. We can see how Republics fare when things change and what the results of certain actions are.
The Roman Republic was stable for centuries as it grew into the continent-spanning empire that it would become. People worked together, politicians sought to make Rome a better place, and the Republic prospered and grew.
But then a couple of things happened. The Romans at the time didn’t know it but these events broke their Republic.
In the wake of Rome rapidly evolving and changing Rome found itself in a position where wealth inequality had become far too drastic. Populist reformer politicians used this crisis to assume power- more power than usual.
From this, 2 political factions were born. The conservative Optimates and the populist Populares. Before too long every member of the Senate was in one of these parties and the Roman government was split down party lines
Gradually politicians began abusing the powers of their office to force their own legislation through. Each side broke more and more taboos in their quest for total and complete control of Rome.
This shift to a 2 party system and this increase in abuse of power lead to a contentious political system. The entire Roman world became a conflict between parties and the entire process of governance was hijacked.
Political violence became normalized. When the Republic was strong political violence did not exist. Politicians and citizens respected elected officials and debate was allowed to happen freely. As Roman politicians became hostile conflict violence became more normal. At first, it was just preventing opponents from speaking. Then it became armed mobs of political activists roaming the streets attacking their rivals.
With these changes, civil wars were assured. The 2 political factions would rally behind demagogues and fight civil wars for control of Rome. Each time one side would win, purge their opponents, and take control for a few years. Eventually, the losing side would find their footing, establish their power, and another civil war would start.
What’s the take-away from this?
Well, it's simple really - political parties lead to civil war when the relationship becomes more contentious than civil. When both sides begin to view each other not as fellow countrymen with different opinions but as a flaw to be fixed or removed- you ensure conflict.
As the two parties began to clash people concern themselves less and less with liberty or rights- the chief concern eventually becomes dominance at any cost. Powerful politicians step into this climate and began to rally the many discontented citizens behind them, promising to accomplish the party's goals and destroy their rivals no matter the cost.
To most, this is likely already sounding somewhat familiar. The underlying premise here is that hostile political relationships between representatives can lead to the justification of violence and power. This use of force then results in instability which then results in social conflict.
Right now in the modern US things are ugly politically.
The 2 political parties- the Democrats and Republicans- have become incredibly hostile towards one another.
All respect has been lost and all decency is long dead, or at least so it feels. Our officials insult, demean, and harass each other in pursuit of power and fame. Citizens have followed suit and particular branches of political parties have created a hostile environment politically.
It’s not that progressives and Democratic dislike Trump policies or Trump’s philosophy. They HATE him and they HATE his supporters. They want him dead, they want his supporters to suffer, and they want it via any means.
This sounds extreme but it is not. According to the loudest and most prominent voices of the left, the Republican party is an irredeemable pack of racist bigots. When you view your opponents in such a hostile fashion you can justify just about anything.
The right has responded in kind. They have become outwardly hostile to the Democratic party and their politicians. Stories are framed in a way that make it look like Democrats are out to destroy the US in pursuit of their own power. Republicans view the Democrats with hatred just as much now.
Even in the wake of COVID, both parties used the crisis to push through legislation they wanted and to take shots at their opponents. Politicians will pass bad legislation willingly as long as it allows them to hurt the other side.
Many may think it is a minority of people that engage in this hostile behavior, but it isn’t. Sure those that outright call for the death of half the nation are a rare breed but that’s not what is concerning- nobody is listening to the “nuke Texas” folks. But how many times do you hear “all Republicans are racist”? Racism is not a valid position, nor is it meant to be debated or discussed. Racism is wrong- it is an ideology of hatred. By applying this tag to every Republican you are saying “Republicans hold no valid position, they cannot and should not be debated or engaged, and they support only hatred”.
People on the right often say that Democrats are socialists out to create an authoritarian state and restrict the rights of citizens.
So how did we get here?
Right now though it is the Democratic party that is on the offensive.
Trump's victory in 2016 was the upset of the century. Obama had been a more moderate candidate than Clinton. As she campaigned for office she took a more progressive stance, constantly referring to her gender and championing feminist values. This was a chance for progressives to get someone with their ideas into office, and a chance to make civil rights history by electing the first woman to the oval office. To then see this go down in flames infuriated and crushed them. To see their agenda defeated at the hands of Trump- a loud, brash, a politically incorrect alpha male type made it even worse.
Their hatred was absolute. They would resist, they would fight, and they would not accept Trump.
After Obama's first term in office Republicans elected increasing extreme right-wing politicians to office under the promise that they would not compromise or negotiate. Democrats began doing the same- electing more extreme politicians and demanding their representatives do whatever it takes to remove Trump.
In the social space things faired similarly. Debates became arguments and arguments became fights. Doxing, harassment, and bullying became standard practice. The anger of the left was aimed at anyone who drew their attention and the right began to fight back using similar tactics.
To progressives and most Democrats, this is a fight for the survival of America. They see Trump as a fascist and a racist. They are fighting for the rights of minority ethnic groups, LGBTQ people, and their own ideals. Failure to defeat or stop Trump is a failure to protect those most vulnerable. The system has to change, it has to reform and do so now- and Trump is in the way. They feel like the nation is being run into the ground and ruined by Trump and that he has to be stopped if the US is going to be saved.
And thus, we have the current situation.
I don't need anger management, people need to stop pissing me off!
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