NationStates Jolt Archive


Revolution?

Bolol
28-11-2005, 22:19
I have a simple question for you. If a revolution to depose the current US government broke out right now, which side would you support?

Would you side with the traditional government? The rebels? Or would you remain neutral?

What do you think?

NOTE: This is purely hypothetical, please do not make any calls to Washington. If I wake up one day and find Homeland Security on my front lawn, I WILL NOT be happy...
Cannot think of a name
28-11-2005, 22:23
Depends on who the revolutionists are.
Crulan
28-11-2005, 22:26
Well, it depends. What kind of government would these revolutionaries be proposing? Would this be a movement with a legitimate chance? How competent would the leaders be? I say we have an Anarchist revolution- but that won't happen anytime soon. Maybe just a Libertarian one.

-Tyler
Ifreann
28-11-2005, 22:29
*mutters into a hidden mike*
They're on to us.Kill the ones that back the government.Kidnap and reprogramme the rest.An Reabhloid Abu
Kyleslavia
28-11-2005, 22:30
It depends what the Rebels and the Government standings are.
Heron-Marked Warriors
28-11-2005, 22:33
I'd support the government, but I don't really like america
CounterCunture
28-11-2005, 22:33
I would shoot revolutionaries like it was my job.
Foxangel
28-11-2005, 22:37
it depends on what the rebels believe. what are they fighting for? do they just want power or are they fighting to make the US better?
Bolol
28-11-2005, 22:38
I said it was simple.

Okay...for all intents and purposes, the rebels want to replace all the current government officers to weed out the "corruption", then rebuild it with a clean slate...
Dogburg II
28-11-2005, 22:40
That can be done via democracy. If the rebels could not achieve their goals by voting, they would have to be a minority, which would strictly be a coup d'etat.
The Noble Men
28-11-2005, 22:42
Neutral.

I'm in the U.K.
Balipo
28-11-2005, 22:42
Well sounds simple enough...

The only problem is there are more guns in the hands of the government than the rebels will ever have.

I guess in order to pull of a coup you'd need to infiltrate the troops and convince them to switch sides at the right time...wait a minute...that sounds like Episode III...

Well it was a good idea...
Sdaeriji
28-11-2005, 22:42
As much as I disagree with the current administration in my country, I hardly think things are so bad as to need a revolution. I'd remain neutral unless the revolutionaries were proposing some sort of radical oppressive government.
New Heathengrad
28-11-2005, 22:42
Dissent is the essence of democracy.
Ifreann
28-11-2005, 22:44
Well sounds simple enough...

The only problem is there are more guns in the hands of the government than the rebels will ever have.

I guess in order to pull of a coup you'd need to infiltrate the troops and convince them to switch sides at the right time...wait a minute...that sounds like Episode III...

Well it was a good idea...


He knows too much,take him out:sniper:
Charlen
28-11-2005, 22:47
Honestly, I'd just say screw both sides and head for Canada xp Canada's a pretty cool place, and I don't like our government enough to risk my life for 'em and I'm too worried a different government would crap things up even worse.
Alebrica
28-11-2005, 22:48
If I lived in the USA, it'd depend on who the rebels are.

If they're proposing some kind of undemocratic, orwellian state, or any kind of "utopian ideal", then I'd side with the current government.

What they have right now is bad enough. But a utopian government in charge of the most powerful nation on Earth? Or a deranged Communist government?

No way, José.

If they're proposing just keeping the current system but cleaning out the corruption, then I'd probably side with them.
Eichen
28-11-2005, 22:51
Sounds like you're asking whether I'd participate in a revolution for its own sake.
No, I wouldn't.
[NS]Olara
28-11-2005, 23:07
I'm assuming that since I'm not starting the revolution that I don't agree with the revolutionaries. Which means I'd back the government.
Bolol
28-11-2005, 23:07
Sounds like you're asking whether I'd participate in a revolution for its own sake.
No, I wouldn't.

No, I'm asking if you think the current government is corrupt enough to warrant revolution.

You obviously don't think so.
Ice Hockey Players
28-11-2005, 23:08
In most cases, I would probably leave the country. Canada's nice; I could go there...or maybe to Europe. I don't know.

If the rebellion is a social democratic regime with good labor backing and civil liberties in mind, I might join the rebellion; if it's a fascist theocracy hell-bent on suppressing dissent, then I am off to Canada.
Eichen
28-11-2005, 23:12
No, I'm asking if you think the current government is corrupt enough to warrant revolution.

You obviously don't think so.
Definitely, I believe that the US government is corrupt enough to warrant a revolution. But I wouldn't want to take such a drastic measure unless I had a better idea of what would replace it. It's certainly not going to be replaced with the same system (that would be cheesy).
So yes, if it had the chance of a better outcome.
No if it didn't, or if the revolutionaries were unrealistic idealists or authoritarians.
Bolol
28-11-2005, 23:17
Definitely, I believe that the US government is corrupt enough to warrant a revolution. But I wouldn't want to take such a drastic measure unless I had a better idea of what would replace it. It's certainly not going to be replaced with the same system (that would be cheesy).
So yes, if it had the chance of a better outcome.
No if it didn't, or if the revolutionaries were unrealistic idealists or authoritarians.

Okey-dokey...
Zilam
28-11-2005, 23:18
Democracy is dead in this country. I'd be part of a rebel group. Since democracy does not work anymore, the only solution is to have a rebellion. At the least, if say the rebellion failed, then the gov't would get the hint and perhaps start to shape up.

Long Live the revolution!
Muravyets
28-11-2005, 23:19
I said it was simple.

Okay...for all intents and purposes, the rebels want to replace all the current government officers to weed out the "corruption", then rebuild it with a clean slate...
That doesn't help at all. ALL revolutionaries want that. Even the Nazis wanted that. The problem is, what constitutes "corruption" and how clean does the slate have to be?

I'd probably leave the country whether I'm neutral or not. I don't trust revolutionaries and I don't like guns. If I supported the revolution, I'd probably do it financially from outside the country.

Unless it was a "Velvet Revolution." I'd be up for that. No guns, please. Nasty, noisy things.
Megaloria
28-11-2005, 23:20
I'd sell T-shirts.
Eichen
28-11-2005, 23:23
Democracy is dead in this country. I'd be part of a rebel group. Since democracy does not work anymore, the only solution is to have a rebellion. At the least, if say the rebellion failed, then the gov't would get the hint and perhaps start to shape up.

Long Live the revolution!
Mob-rule democracy seems on the rise, sadly. The constitution seems to be the dying element today.
German Nightmare
28-11-2005, 23:33
I'd remain a neutral German, sit back and watch while http://www.studip.uni-goettingen.de/pictures/smile/popcorn.gif
H N Fiddlebottoms VIII
29-11-2005, 00:03
I'd sell T-shirts.
I'd loot your shirts in the chaos and then resell them at a reduced price.

Personally, I'd side with the Rebellion if I thought it had a chance, the oppurtunity to get in on the ground floor of the new government would be too great an oppurtunity to miss. After all, if the goal is (as it seems) to institute the American version of the French Reign of Terror, I'd have a better chance to dodge the guillotine as a rebel.
Ashmoria
29-11-2005, 00:24
in a democracy (even a constitutional representative democracy like the united states) a revolution only exists to thwart the will of the majority

as such i would never support a revolution.
The Jovian Moons
29-11-2005, 00:26
I don't like Bush but revolution seems a little extreme.
[NS]Fergi America
29-11-2005, 00:40
Under the present circumstances, I'd support the government, because I'd figure that if the opposition thought they couldn't win an election (or wouldn't be able to maintain power even if they did initially win), but are trying to take over anyway, then they must be up to something pretty lousy.

Of course, I would expect the rebels to propagandize that they just want a "better" or "less corrupt" government, but the fact that they were avoiding using democratic means would tell me otherwise.

My opinion would likely change if there are several successive governments "elected" under dubious circumstances, indicating a true long-term breakdown in the basic democratic process. The current government, however, is a blip I can stand to wait out before declaring democracy to be dead.
DHomme
29-11-2005, 00:50
Depends on what the revolution was. If it was started by socialists then yeah. If it was started by nationally oppressed groups then yeah. If it was started by fash/liberals/conservatives/libertarians then Hell No. I'd fight both sides.
Letila
29-11-2005, 01:30
Depends on what the revolution was. If it was started by socialists then yeah. If it was started by nationally oppressed groups then yeah. If it was started by fash/liberals/conservatives/libertarians then Hell No. I'd fight both sides.

Indeed!
Dissonant Cognition
29-11-2005, 02:53
Dissent is the essence of democracy.

At least until those who dissent become the minority, anyway. Then we can just crush it under the heel that is the "sovereign will" of the "people."
FireAntz
29-11-2005, 02:59
Considering that I have family members in the military, and the ones who are in power now got voted in by the NRA crowd, and I'd rather eat superglue and razorblades than do anything to help Liberals, I'd be on the governments side.

I like what a previous poster said. "I'd shoot the rebels like it was my job" :sniper:

Either that, or I'd infiltrate the rebels as a spy, and screw them from the inside. ;)
Dobbsworld
29-11-2005, 03:01
Vive la France! Death to the Aristos!
Preebs
29-11-2005, 03:03
Depends on what the revolution was. If it was started by socialists then yeah. If it was started by nationally oppressed groups then yeah. If it was started by fash/liberals/conservatives/libertarians then Hell No. I'd fight both sides.

That one. Only replace socialists with socialists/anarchists/communists and we're on.
Dissonant Cognition
29-11-2005, 03:08
Show me one revolution where the revolutionaries didn't transform themselves into those they claimed to oppose. In fact, show me a single human being who is actually concerned with destroying power, instead of just taking, possessing and exploiting it himself.

I'll show you a liar.
Velkya
29-11-2005, 03:11
You'd shoot them even if our own government was in the shitter? George W. Bush (and the Republican Party), suprisingly, will not be the cause of rebellion. George is...for lack of a better phrase...not a very good leader, and the party itself is a bunch of shortsighted bible-beaters. Not a very effective government, if you asked me. The Democrats are, on the whole, a more effective party than the GOP, simply because the majority of their candidates come from low class families and know the problems of America, while GOP candidates tend to come from rich families. That's a little off topic, but just wanted to set the standard here. Outside of that, I doubt our current reigme would be capable of taking over the government, it's too ineffective. Don't get me wrong, I love my country, but if my government became Orwellian, I would fight back. The rights in the Constitution will always be mine, and no Political Party, liberal or conservative, will ever take them from me.
DHomme
29-11-2005, 03:13
That one. Only replace socialists with socialists/anarchists/communists and we're on.

Well i figure anarchists wouldn't have a revolution (isn't violence an expression of your authority over another human being?) and communists are a subgroup of socialists (the best group if you ask me)
Melkor Unchained
29-11-2005, 03:22
I wouldn't fight in one, especially if they claimed to adhere to my particular morality. I don't have much respect for people who say "Let's end violence by initiating more of it, and then we'll stop when we're done I promise. Oh, except to dispose of dissenters." Fuck that.

I would prefer to initiate a bloodless coup. That would be a lot easier and a lot less painful for everyone involved. Not only that, but I wouldn't have to kill anyone to do it.
Potaria
29-11-2005, 03:24
I wouldn't fight in one, especially if they claimed to adhere to my particular morality. I don't have much respect for people who say "Let's end violence by initiating more of it, and then we'll stop when we're done I promise. Oh, except to dispose of dissenters." Fuck that.

I would prefer to initiate a bloodless coup. That would be a lot easier and a lot less painful for everyone involved. Not only that, but I wouldn't have to kill anyone to do it.

Agreed.
Undelia
29-11-2005, 03:24
Show me one revolution where the revolutionaries didn't transform themselves into those they claimed to oppose. In fact, show me a single human being who is actually concerned with destroying power, instead of just taking, possessing and exploiting it himself.

I'll show you a liar.
Nice.
I’d be neutral unless the revolutionaries were communists. In that case I’d side with the government and “shoot the rebels like it was my job.”
Preebs
29-11-2005, 03:28
Well i figure anarchists wouldn't have a revolution (isn't violence an expression of your authority over another human being?) and communists are a subgroup of socialists (the best group if you ask me)
Most anarchists believe violence in self defence is fine. So we'd try to smash the state peacefully, which obviously wouldn't happen. Then you have to be prepared to take up arms to defend what you believe in.