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America's Ruling Class and the Perils of Revolution

6 points by robg 16y ago

all 16y ago
I find the printable format to be easier to read, even on screen: http://spectator.org/archives/2010/07/16/americas-ruling-class-and-the/print http://spectator.org/archives/2010/07/16/americas-ruling-cla...
gnosis 16y ago
For a much more thorough look at elite dominance in america, I strongly recommend "The Irony of Democracy": http://www.amazon.com/Irony-Democracy-Uncommon-Introduction-Advantage/dp/0495501239 http://www.amazon.com/Irony-Democracy-Uncommon-Introduction-...
brazzy 16y ago
It's funny how current problems and developments in politics and society are always and without fail "unprecedented" and "radically different" from anything that has ever happened before, anywhere - at least in the minds of the people who write (and avidly read) this kind of prose.
- hga 16y ago
  Nah, enough of us know our Pareto (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilfredo_Pareto http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilfredo_Pareto), who "is famous for saying 'history is a graveyard of aristocracies.'" What we are seeing now is the beginning of what he described as a "circulation of elites".
jchrisa 16y ago
The comments on the original article are scary. It looks like the Spectator is the sort of place where you can say women shouldn't be allowed to vote, and have people agree with you. If these people are the alternative, thank goodness they aren't well represented in our politics.
joshklein 16y ago
I'm currently reading the biography of Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. It's a compelling look at the origins of the American experiment, and it makes me feel hopeful seeing just how similar things were at that time. These are all complaints people were leveling then, just as they have been since the beginning of government. "If men were angels..."
- hga 16y ago
  While I mostly agree with you, I have to note that Hamilton was competent. One of the reasons we're an economic powerhouse vs. all those countries that keep themselves messed up (or in the case of Argentina threw it all away on the verge of becoming a 1st World nation) is the efforts he helped lead to put our financial house in order and keep it there. (In point of fact, one of the reasons the previous system of the Continental Congress fell apart was a failure to deal with that.) One of the points that Codevilla is making is that our current ruling class doesn't have what it takes to guide our country through its current travails.

6 points by robg 16y ago

all 16y ago

I find the printable format to be easier to read, even on screen: http://spectator.org/archives/2010/07/16/americas-ruling-class-and-the/print http://spectator.org/archives/2010/07/16/americas-ruling-cla...

gnosis 16y ago

For a much more thorough look at elite dominance in america, I strongly recommend "The Irony of Democracy": http://www.amazon.com/Irony-Democracy-Uncommon-Introduction-Advantage/dp/0495501239 http://www.amazon.com/Irony-Democracy-Uncommon-Introduction-...

brazzy 16y ago

It's funny how current problems and developments in politics and society are always and without fail "unprecedented" and "radically different" from anything that has ever happened before, anywhere - at least in the minds of the people who write (and avidly read) this kind of prose.

hga 16y ago
Nah, enough of us know our Pareto (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilfredo_Pareto http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilfredo_Pareto), who "is famous for saying 'history is a graveyard of aristocracies.'" What we are seeing now is the beginning of what he described as a "circulation of elites".

jchrisa 16y ago

The comments on the original article are scary. It looks like the Spectator is the sort of place where you can say women shouldn't be allowed to vote, and have people agree with you. If these people are the alternative, thank goodness they aren't well represented in our politics.

joshklein 16y ago

I'm currently reading the biography of Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. It's a compelling look at the origins of the American experiment, and it makes me feel hopeful seeing just how similar things were at that time. These are all complaints people were leveling then, just as they have been since the beginning of government. "If men were angels..."

hga 16y ago
While I mostly agree with you, I have to note that Hamilton was competent. One of the reasons we're an economic powerhouse vs. all those countries that keep themselves messed up (or in the case of Argentina threw it all away on the verge of becoming a 1st World nation) is the efforts he helped lead to put our financial house in order and keep it there. (In point of fact, one of the reasons the previous system of the Continental Congress fell apart was a failure to deal with that.) One of the points that Codevilla is making is that our current ruling class doesn't have what it takes to guide our country through its current travails.