'Rise like Lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you
Ye are many they are few.'
A verse from The Mask of Anarchy, written on the occasion of the massacre carried out by the British Government at Peterloo, Manchester 1819 By Percy Bysshe Shelley

And when we realise this as truth, there goes their way of life.

Given the increasing gap between rich and poor in many 'western' countries and, given the fact that this increase in inequality is more often than not actively propagated by the political parties in government, I have to say that, yes, it's a very real possibility.


ciao

Lynn H.

I do believe Nostradamus predicted that civilisation will fall from East to West post the fall of the twin towers. You can believe whatever you can imagine from ancient texts and some make a living out of it such as using the bible or koran as a tool for their own ends.

If the rich and powerful are so smart and superior, as I am sure they see themselves, then why have they allowed their greed for money and power bring this level of discontent. Not very smart if you ask me.

Personally, I think change is a good thing as it removes the old, redundant and obsolete or even backward ways of thinking to make way for new innovative intelligence ready to embrace the difficulties that the future will bring. However, my only concern is that some people will try to move civilised society away from secular beliefs towards spiritual beliefs which can only bring conflict, separatism and oppression.

Lets hope that sensible people prevail.

Nobody in the UK remember the Poll Tax riots.
That sight of Trafalgar square alight certainly put a fire up a few Tory arses!
There were no riots in Scotland where I lived, and where Thatcher started it a year earlier than she did in England as a sort of "testing ground".
We just didn't pay it!

I don't believe anything will change here, The student protests were completely ignored by the government who pushed through their plans as if they never happened, so I hardly think that qualifies as the start of a popular uprising.
Job cuts in the Police and NHS? so what, The last labour government took on staff in every government department to keep unemployment figures down so that they could try to con the public into electing them again, Do you believe it'd be any different now if they had won? Change is coming? Change to what? Communism? Fascism? or some loony religious government? either way we'd all be the first against the wall.
The Tunisians and Egyptians are both fighting oppressive dictators I hardly think our country falls into that category.
Dream on.

Becca

Has it occurred to anyone that perhaps all this could be desired or even manipulated to happen? If you want to change things radically you need massive upheaval. Some people call it Problem Reaction Solution. You create a problem... People shout "Something must be done!". Then you give them a solution i.e. that which you wanted all along....Order out of chaos "Send us our Stark von Oben". How about forcing a cashless society on us. Check out Digital Angel ....Secure Digital Solutions or Verichip.

This is a great thread. I think the student protests were just the start. We've had anti EDF marches in Luton. Protests are starting to happen about the intended sale of our forest. The trade unions are hinting of possible general strikes. This is all starting to happen before the government cuts really start to take effect. I can only see unemployment going up. Big job losses in both the police force and the NHS looking more and more lightly. The ordinary people of Briton are starting to stand up and be counted. They will only take encouragement from what's been happening in Egypt. Our politicians have lost their way. They are so far removed from the normal people trying to make ends meet. Working bloody hard only to pay more and more in taxes and getting a hell of a lot less for their money. It seems wrong to me that when the bankers mess up it's us who have to bale them out and at the same time lose our homes while they are getting millions in bonuses. People have had enough. Change is a coming.

You are right there Zoe, Hi Meredith xxx. It has been suggested that when the Euro fails the Dollar will be 3 weeks from going the same way. Those are highly likely to cause civil unrest.

In Chicago (and some other U.S. major cities) there are the Armories. They are no longer used for their intended purpose, and that is to be a type of arsenal against domestic insurrections.

Yes we will. Have on illusions about this. We almost saw tanks on the roads during the last fuel protests. All regions of the Uk are ready for it and have been granting powers of arrest and search to people such as traffic wardens who are now called civil enforcement officers. I will post information and links later if anyone is interested and also if this is appropriate here, because I do not wish to break any rules.

The change I meant wasn't any extremist group. The change has got to come where our goverment have got to start listening to the voters. There was no outright winner in the last election. That to me says a lot. This country needs a goverment that listens and cares about it's people. We need decent education and good health care not just for those who can afford to go private. We need affordable housing. We need to feel safe on our streets. Both the police force and the nhs are streched as it is. Job losses are not going to help. Whether your right wing,left wing or somewhere in the middle you must admit that a lot of the current batch of politicians just don't seem care. The country is in a mess but you can't put a price on peoples lifes

We have seen it in Cairo, Tunisia, African countries, Rioting against oppression, Could it happen in London, Paris, Washington, are we so fed up with greed and avarice we could allow ourselves to flout the law, Depose a so could legally elected Government for keep getting it wrong.

History would teach us, Even in the UK, civil wars caused by the difference between the haves and have nots. We are so far removed from the Ideals of Cromwel now.. The Father of parliment Here in the UK, the Poll tax riots of the 80's caused the down fall of Margaret Thatcher, the first woman PM. who's first job was to suspend free milk for school children. Lets not confuse the latest Student riots with the suppression of the ordinary people, these students would have an enhanced chance in life, after University, they are not required to pay the fees up front, only spread over the the years the extra costs as they earn more when they start work...

History would show that People Like Hitler and Mousoulini attained power through the dissatisfaction of the masses.

Could we envisage troops shooting people on the streets of London.

The additional levy on the banks has shown them that they can no longer pull the strings, ie use the government like puppets. I think its amazing that they can award themselves 8 billion in bonuses whilst the government paid out over a trillion to stop them collapsing and are now having to cut services catastrophically. Are they in touch with reality?

There will always be inequality whilst some people spend more on a single meal than some earn in a whole year whilst 4000 children die of malnutrition every day. These people are either completely ignorant to the plight of others and hence uneducated and stupid or they enjoy lavish lifestyles in the knowledge that 4000 children die every day of malnutrition in a way that only evil selfishness knows no bounds.

Although the French revolution springs to mind I hope the people who decide they have had enough of these putrid individuals, are a little more civilised in how it is dealt with.

viva la revolution! lol

oh im such a rebel!
xxxx

If this is deemed inappropriate then I am sorry and I wont do it again, but I am thinking any action that might help save my culture, and aprt of our heritage and knowledge base is worth a try.
http://occupyyourlibrary.wordpress.com/
http://publiclibrariesnews.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=100002056587102&sk=wall

Hi Rebecca,your right about the Libdems. So many broken promises. The problem is there is no vote for change. It may not do any good but I sleep a little easier knowing that by signing petitions,writing to MP's and going on marches at least I've tried. I can't just sit back and except what's going on. Lets hope the next government is honest and caring and puts people before money. Just for a change. Take care Lillith
Ps if your going to emigrate to somewhere sunny I don't suppose you will have room in your suitcase for me? :-)

I'll have the full sugar ones and a sun hat! At least until the sugar runs out!!!!

Becca

I agree with your statement about what we want from our government Lillith, unfortunately I don't believe such a government will ever be, It seems to me that every politician describes his/her version of utopia in order to get elected then immediately forgets it all, using the power of government for their own selfish needs, most recent example??? Look no further than the LIb. Dems, they sold out every thing they stood for to get into government.

I've been reading the wiki leaks, not all of it is very interesting in it's own right but the whole package shows the contempt those in power have for the rule of law and the electorate in general.

Change has got to come? Why? Because we want/need it? It'll never happen as those in power are not only those we vote for, Look at the Banks for example, They screwed the whole world, the current spending cuts are a direct result of their greed, their profits are again huge, (after just a year or so) whilst the rest of us have to pay for their mistakes for several years to come, do you think they give a dam? Do you think they will ever listen to you? me? any one? They don't even give a dam about the governments threats of taxation, saying "we'll move abroad, see what that does to your economy." a threat the government runs from.

I could go on about other big businesses, but it's all too depressing,

So can it happen in the western world?

Not a chance, we may get little victories like the Poll tax, but don't forget, it may have brought down Thatcher, but the conservatives still continued in power under "The Grey man!!" so hardly regime change.

I'm thinking of emigrating, at least the sun shines in some other countries!

Becca

S

An old teacher of mine taught me 'The best predictor of future behaviours is ... past behaviours' ... this little maxim saved me a great deal of heartache, and prevented me from spending much time in the pursuit of a wild goose.  

 

The youthful idealist in me would love to champion the dual cause of anarchy and revolution, however this would be like a general leading from the front - without an army.

 

What would be the prime motivation behind this uprising, and who would lead it, do you know anyone prepared to die for a 'noble cause' or what they believe in?  I spent time working with HM's Forces during the 80's, and there were times when we were instructed to look out paperwork relating to the role of the Army during times of civil disorder ... Look at Northern Ireland for a recent example of Army operations 'in support of the civilian police authority' ... it was not pretty, there were mistakes made by both sides ... which resulted in the deaths of many innocents.

The one thing which could be a 'game changer' is if the free-market capitalist economic system were to suddenly go 'Playtex up' - in which case all bets are off!  Unlikely?  

You may wish to conside this, when the world was engrossed in the banks failing, senior political economists at the 'Ancient Eight' were more concened about the $668 Trillion derivatives market (actual value 'at risk' aprox. $55 Trillion) ... not even sure there is that much money left in the markets!

We're three meals away from civil disorder, but only three days away from chaos were the banks ever to imposed an emergency cash 'lock-down' ... otherwise its 'Stay Calm and Carry on'.

Thinking of emigrating, take a load of DEET, Veet, and SP factor 50+