It has been a while since I wrote a blog. I have been somewhat busy dealing with end of semester projects and grading students work.The summer looms long and unknown adventures await no doubt.It is Sunday morning and am drinking coffee.
America is beginning to remind me more of 18th century France rather then a modern democratic country. I think of Versailles as a palatial corporate office, run by plutocrats, not aristocrats, who rule government and make laws that effect only those who do not belong to their class. It is with dismay I read of a woman being imprisoned for 25 years for being caught shoplifting three times.Yes, I read this the other day. This is not a violent crime. The woman has children and a family is broken for life. It is similar to a peasant being jailed in the Bastille for stealing bread. In contrast, the 'aristocratic' Ceo of JPMorgan can loose $2/3 billion from illegal business transactions and receive $23 million as a bonus.
Louis 15th housed all of France's aristocrats within Versailles to control them. It was an absolute monarchy, there was no dissent. They were summoned to attend court. The scale of the palace was practical when you consider its purpose. I find organizations like ALEC, K street, Super pacs, The Political Christian Right to be in tandem with each other.They are like soldiers marching with every step synchronized to perfection. There is no individual voice, rather a chorus reading from the same script. One could say the Koch Brothers have notions of grandeur like The Sun King, Louis of France. Power is very seductive and addictive.
I was talking to my Chinese students and they remarked that in China there is a huge divide between those with great wealth and those with nothing. There is no middle class. Does that sound familiar?.They claimed that if you were poor there was no way you could alter that.The wealthy remained at the top. They can buy Chanel , Gucci and live a great life without struggle. Their wealth does not trickle down either.
What amused me was that the fear of Socialism and Communism in America seems absurd when the wealth disparity is becoming exactly the same as China. Plutocracy, rather like Aristocracy, produces the same social structure. The police monitor the 'threat', which is the poor, and minorities to protect the wealthy. The gates of Versailles are well protected as we witnessed with the violent clamp down on Occupy Wall Streets's peaceful protests.
It is important to throw the underclass some bread, in the form of hope to keep them passive and in order. It is hoped the underclass will loathe each other to grab at those crumbs and claim that they are rightfully their crumbs because of whatever entitles them to feel that way historically. This squabbling is perfect for those that rule. It worked beautifully for the British Empire in the 19th century that followed the demise of the dominance of France. We see those attempting to stir divisions today. History rather like bad fashion tends to repeat itself.
Marie Antoinette became a symbol of the decadence and arrogance of the ruling elite. We have plenty of women, like Kim Kardashian, who are celebrated for profound mediocrity, and wearing clothes. To be fair there are plenty of guys who are celebrated for the same thing. History reveals that all empires collapse and there is is always pride before a fall. Time will tell.
Peace
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