Revolution is a blanket statement for the entire process, however there are 4 steps that define it. Resistance, Rebellion, Revolution, Reform
- Resistance is raising your voice against the system.
- Rebellion is breaking the established rules of the system.
- Revolution is actively taking measures to bring down the leaders of the system.
- Reformation is the process of reinstalling a government, ideally according to the terms of the people.
This is a pretty standard process and it occurs when a society begins to break down. We are currently in the Rebellion stage.
Our current government has legislated itself into a trap that they can't escape from. You know it, I know it, but we continue to dance around the commitment to this reality. We see the pattern repeated every election cycle. Promises are made that could be accomplished only if Congress didn't have the established set of current internal policies. During the election cycle, these policies are suppressed, making these promises look feasible. But when the elections are finished and Congress is seated once again these promises are introduced, everyone holds their breath in the hopes that some miracle will happen. Some Republicans change up their preferences and vote for it. The filibuster is reformed or removed. Senate malcontents like Manchin actually support the measure.
Every time. This same cycle repeats every freakin time. We are locked into a decades old process that is unlikely to change. Finally... finally...! people are getting fed up with it.
When a system's own rules and laws work against them, those rules and laws must be broken to pave the way for further progress. But those same rules and laws are absolute to the ones who made them... and therein lies the problem. The system itself can't solve the problems of the system, because to do so would violate every conceivable notion that it, itself is a resolute, long standing and unbroken symbol of Democracy.
The mistake made is not an obvious one, and it is made out of fear. The government does not want to break its own laws to restructure, because it fears the people will see it as weak, or maybe rebel. However, the government is creating exactly what it fears by not restructuring. It can only cast its illusion a limited number of times before people wake up and see through it.
People wouldn't have a problem with Democracy if it was working.
Each step of the four R's are triggered from two distinct results.
1. Ignoring the peoples needs. This is a stepped process, where people rise to the next level of Revolution if results are not sufficient by the former.
2. A continuous rise in the issues that plague our country. Violence, pollution, wealth gap, corporate dominance, oppression & suffering by the people. With a working Democracy these issues would not continue to rise precipitously. In fact they would most likely decline.
People activate as a direct opposition to the severity of these issues. "Push me, I push back. Push me harder, I push back harder."
Resistance:
When the government rejects the voice of the people repeatedly, this propels the populace into Resistance. When a society fractures as severely as ours, resistance is rarely enough. Anything we can communicate is usually met by talking points with little to no action to back it up. You all have seen this time and again.
Rebellion:
When Resistance fails, we move on to Rebellion. This is the first point at which our voices will be heard, but it will likely be met with "There is not much we can do. These are the laws that govern our Democracy". Organized Rebellion is the safest for the people. There is power in numbers when it comes to having each others back and protecting each other from any forceful actions that may be taken.
Revolution:
Revolution is full scale civil action. It includes Resistance and Rebellion but takes it a step further. At the Revolution stage there are increased conflicts and arrests, but the sheer scale of the people revolting can no longer be brought down by law enforcement. Revolution is the most forceful stage, and it occurs when anything before it has not worked. When people have had enough. When nothing has changed and they are at the end of their rope.
My observation of the system thus far points to us arriving there, sooner than later.
Reformation:
This is when the Administration, when under the pressure of the people admits that it is not all-powerful and has made egregious and numerous mistakes. They would grudgingly admit that reformative change must take place. This is the stage when the people dictate who is placed in the Administration, what laws will be stripped and the new laws that will be put in place. And it will be done quickly enough that the slow monthslong and yearslong pace of previous legislation will seem absolutely ridiculous in comparison.
The advancement of our country literally depends upon our action and the necessity for us to get to the Revolution stage. But we can't hold a rally and just say "let's revolt"! The lifestyles of millions of people and the patterns of our culture will determine that. It is a natural progression.
The Administration, the entirety of the Government is broken. We see who our leaders are. We see the nefarious activities they are engaged in. We see corporations throwing money their way to block the resolutions that would truly benefit the country. Many Congress people are not even adequate to fit the job description. A normal job is largely about a paycheck. But a leaders job is more about the prosperity of the public.
Look around. How much prosperity do you see? Revolution will come. We need to continue to work towards it. It is up to us to get the country on its feet again.