Revolt:
To revolt there are two sides and each are trying to dominate the other. Usually there is little or no respect between the two sides and a fair amount of hostility. Where one side is violently dominating and suppressing the other side there is often little option but a violent revolt. In a violent revolt the two sides become very entrenched in their positions. The issue with such revolts is the outcome of the revolt. When one side has put down the other side, what happens? It is what happens after the violent revolt that is critical.
If the dominating side puts down the revolt of the suppressed does anything change? If nothing changes then a revolt in the future is inevitable. If the suppressed succeeds in revolting against the dominating side, what changes? If the side that was being suppressed then starts to suppress the losing side that was the dominating side, has anything really changed or is there just a reversal of roles.
History:
Two large and successful revolts in history are the “American Revolution” and the “India Revolution”. In both of these revolutions it was a revolt against the British Empire. The reason these two Revolutions are seen as successful is that each side arrived at a “Mutual Respect” of each other.
The “American Revolution” produced one of the most profound document about REVOLUTION and the bases for such revolts.
Declaration of Independence:
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
This document forms the foundation to REVOLUTION. That the Government is only able to rightly govern with the “consent of the governed” and when this is not the case it is the RIGHT AND DUTY of the governed to replace such government. It goes further to say “...should not be changed for light and transient causes...” and explains “...when a long train of abuses and usurpations...” it is the RIGHT and DUTY of the PEOPLE to throw off such government. This document begins with the statement that everyone is equal and has a NATUAL RIGHT to LIFE, LIBERTY and HAPPINESS. It also recognizes the LAWS OF NATURE AND NATURE’S GOD.
I am not aware as much of the “India Revolution” and the work of Gandhi, Roshini has more on this Revolution.
These are forms of Revolution where one culture of PEOPLE is revolting from another culture PEOPLE. Another form of Revolution is internal revolts – Civil Wars.
Civil Wars:
Civil Wars are another form of REVOLUTION that is much more complicated than EMPIRE REVOLUTIONS. There is much more PASSION AND OBSESSIONS involved with CIVIL WAR REVOLUTIONS.
Another great example of this type of REVOLUTION is the United States Civil War. The United States is the only country that I know of that went to WAR WITH THEMSELVES in order to FREE SLAVES (not considered to be Americans or citizens). What made this REVOLUTION successful is not just the FREEDOM OF THE SLAVES, but also how after the North had won the WAR. The North started the process of uniting with the South. After the REVOLUTION both sides were able to become a united country again. The ability of a country to recover from a Civil War type of REVOLUTION and can still be united and respecting each side of the violent revolt is critical.
Revolutions happen and need to happen when there is a lack of RESPECT and there is a presence of ABUSE. The goal of successful REVOLUTIONS is to re-establish a mutual respect and to end the abuse. If at the end of a REVOLUTION there is still a lack of RESPECT and the continuation of ABUSE the REVOLUTION is not successful and the REVOLUTION will revolve around again and will be repeated. This will happen regardless of which side “wins” the violent revolt.
Revolution by its self is not a desirable objective. Revolution is a tool to achieve a objective that units a People in a fair and equitable union. Revolution is often the result when one side tries to suppress and abuse another and there is a loss of RESPECT. The side that is experiencing the abuse will revolt to regain their RESPECT. The danger comes when the WINNER of the revolt continues the abuse on the loser.
PAY-BACK is often the distraction at the end of a violent revolt. In order for a REVOLUTION to be successful there must be a method where the two sides can resolve their differences. Both sides need to understand that each are part of the whole and that there needs to be mutual respect in order to work together. Without this understanding the REVOLUTION will revolve around again and the violent process will continue.
Recent History:
I was active in the Vietnam anti-war movement in the 1960s. The US did not lose that war because of the Chinese or the Vietnamese but they lost the war based on the US citizen’s REVOLT to that war. It was not always a peaceful revolt either, remember Kent State. What came out of this is the US Government is much more AWARE (RESPECT) of the US citizen’s support or lack of support for any future conflicts that it gets into.
COLD-WAR:
I bring the “Cold-War” here because it demonstrates what I mean by RESPECT. The USA and the USSR were on the verge of WAR for close to three decades. The two sides HATED each other and would have loved to kill the other. However, both sides were nuclear powers and both had the power to destroy the other. This stalemate in the power game meant that both sides had a RESPECT for the other. Through the YEARS the HATE mellowed to a strong DISLIKE and both sides started to RESPECT the other’s commitment, even if they did not agree.
In the 1970’s a strong world-wide PEACE movement of the PEOPLE started to press both sides to negotiate a PEACE and to reduce the amount of NUCLEAR WEAPONS as these WEAPONS were a threat to the SURVIVAL OF ALL. I remember participating in a PEACE DEMONSTRATION calling for the reduction of NUCLEAR MISSLES with close to 100,000 marchers, with PEOPLE from ALL POLITICAL PARTIES, and from all walks of life joining.
It was the PEACE MOVEMENT that was a form of REVOLUTION, but in the form of “Transform” as opposed to a “Revolt” that got the USA and USSR to sit down and negotiate the SALT II agreement. This could not have taken place without some level of MUTUAL RESPECT between the USA and USSR.
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