Post by elalacran on Feb 19, 2012 12:16:02 GMT -5
There are those who criticize and attack the Occupy Wall Street movement. Often Republicans. I don't understand that criticism. Sure, the Republican Party is a party based on preserving the economic status quo, on protecting the wealth of those who now have it. But why take the OWS so seriously when they could gain more by being sympathetic instead of turning up their noses?
I am learning that economic protest was one component of the American Revolution. Sure there were wealthy revolutionaries and landed revolutonaries, but a lot of anger had been festering among poorer colonists toward the wealthy and privileged. The American Revolution provided an outlet for some of that anger.
Public office in the colonies were often held by wealthy colonists who basically bought their offices. Those officeholders acted in their interests and those of their friends and class, to the detriment of the majority.
So the wealthy were a target before the British became a target. And the British, because they were ultimately in charge of colonial governments were a natural second choice to rebel against.
Ever hear of the Regulators? The War of the Regulation in North Carolina in 1765-1771? This was a minirevolt staged by poorer people on the frontier against not the Crown but those of wealth and power in the colony who controlled public offices. It was quashed by violence, the governor and a trained militia shooting down untrained citizens. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Regulation A more partial site is here: www.tamu.edu/faculty/ccbn/dewitt/mckstmerrframe.htm
I am learning that economic protest was one component of the American Revolution. Sure there were wealthy revolutionaries and landed revolutonaries, but a lot of anger had been festering among poorer colonists toward the wealthy and privileged. The American Revolution provided an outlet for some of that anger.
Public office in the colonies were often held by wealthy colonists who basically bought their offices. Those officeholders acted in their interests and those of their friends and class, to the detriment of the majority.
So the wealthy were a target before the British became a target. And the British, because they were ultimately in charge of colonial governments were a natural second choice to rebel against.
Ever hear of the Regulators? The War of the Regulation in North Carolina in 1765-1771? This was a minirevolt staged by poorer people on the frontier against not the Crown but those of wealth and power in the colony who controlled public offices. It was quashed by violence, the governor and a trained militia shooting down untrained citizens. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Regulation A more partial site is here: www.tamu.edu/faculty/ccbn/dewitt/mckstmerrframe.htm