Print this post.By Joost van Steenis
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Nothing really changed, only masspeople died.
In Tunisia something happened that nobody had foreseen.
Why did it happen and can we do it again elsewhere?
BELOW: Anwar Sadat, the lionized leader of Egypt, a military man like Mubarak, who followed him, and Nasser, who preceded him, set Egypt on its course of subservience to Washington. The relationship facilitated a reign of corruption and brutality that Egyptians are just beginning to shake.
But we have to do it better. You can’t make a revolution by demonstrating on squares, you have to attack and remove all people with power (and money) who rule the country.
Hundreds of masspeople died, thousands were wounded and many were arrested – and I have not heard of any compensation.
Some very greedy elitepersons were thrown out – with enough money to be rich forever.
The new elite can rule without opposition and become as corrupt, rich and greedy as the ousted ones – or do you think The People can stage another round of demonstrations.
The People got some hope and they will return home and work even harder – for the benefit of the new elite.
It is sad, as sad as in Egypt or Yemen.
For real change you must attack the centre of power that is in the hands of a small group of people with money and power.
The Tunisian actions belonged to the Old Culture of Protest that asks and not to the New Culture of Resistance that forces.
Of course I welcome that the Tunisian masses became active but must we enjoy that the only result is that a new greedy group replaces the old one?
The new leading group was already powerful because they could order the police to stop shooting people. In the past these people supported the cruel president and don’t believe they suddenly became decent. Do not think that the industrialists who filled their pocket at the cost of the living conditions of common citizens will change their old habits.
The Egyptian military intervened “to safeguard the country” and some demonstrators approved. But they safeguarded their own position. The ultimate goal of power is earning money, now and in the future. The elite decided that the continuing presence of some presidents (in Tunisia and in Egypt) was contrary to their interests. The spontaneous uprising was used to remove the too greedy presidents from their high positions, the rest could continue to be greedy.
New weapons to prevent that any elite uses the country for its own benefit were not developed. Leaders were asked to behave decently, they were not forced to become human. By using outdated and insufficient actions a more humane world never can be reached.
The People must realise that it always turns around power, money and the people who have power and money. When the centre of power is not attacked any new leader will again enrich the own group because there is no opposition. Everywhere people are ruled by greedy and cruel leaders. And it takes many years before dissatisfaction becomes so huge that a single event can trigger an avalanche and The People rise up again.
Still it is interesting what happened in Tunisia. The People looked subdued, looked to accept the oppressing inhuman system. But a small deed caused chaos as has already been described by the Theory of Chaos. The flapping of the wings of a butterfly over Brazil can cause a hurricane over Cuba. But not all butterflies cause a typhoon. The copycat method of burning yourself in the hope change occurs did not work in other countries.
The Theory of Catastrophes teaches that a jump in human development can occur when The People become active. By using old methods of protest, asking for a change, fighting with the police etc. change will hardly occur. In Tunisia part of the elite could usurp power by agreeing that the top elite had to be ousted. In Egypt the military remained powerful and only removed some people at the very top. The People did not have the energy and the right idea to remove any greedy, cruel and selfish elite.
The two Theories can be used to get better results.
The right tactics were not used. There was a short period of chaos and thus the possibility something really new could be born. Then the police reinstalled order. Who ordered them to act and what kind of order they bring about? Of course not an order from which a New Humane Society can arise. Some new greedy leaders came out of the shadow to establish an order that resembles very much the old order.
This new group of greedy leaders benefits most. Remove anyone who is not right and honest. Only then you get real change.
Without the clear goal to undermine the (money) power of the greedy rich, we remain in the Old Culture of Protest.
JOOST VAN STEENIS is a Dutch author and radical theoretician.
Down with Any Elite!
Friendly greetings, Joost van Steenis
For background information see “Down with any Elite” http://members.chello.nl/jsteenis or read my books.
My latest book FROM CHAOS TO CHANGE can be downloaded for free from http://members.chello.nl/jsteenis/chaoschange.pdf.
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