[mojaveman]

Originally Posted by Broadsword2004

Call me delusional, but I think things would have to get REALLY bad, and even then, it would depend. The American people are generally a reasonable people, they aren't a bunch of people bent on overthrowing the government. You have to worry about a revolution if you have some fixed aristocracy at the top that is either abusing the people or just flat-out doesn't care about the plight of the people. America is a liberal democracy, with a government that is elected and accountable to the people. What would a revolution accomplish? We establish another liberal democracy? I don't think a revolution would appeal to reasonable people. The whole beauty of a liberal democracy is that if you don't like your government, you get to vote in new people every few years, thereby negating any need for a revolution.

The people who usually riot or call for revolution tend to be the ones with a major entitlement mindset, for example the protests in Greece where the people don't want to work more htan thirty hours a week and don't want to retire later than fifty years-old, and so forth. Such protesters are like the adult version of children. In poor areas filled with welfare recipients living off the dole, I could imagine similar protests or riots even, but not from the broader society.

In order for a real revolution to take place, things would have to get bad to the point that the country seemed to be becoming a literal failed state, was literally collapsing. But I do not think things will get that bad.

I won't call you delusional but maybe a bit young. All it took to set Los Angeles ablaze and for scores of people to lose their lives in '92 was a verdict that was read by a jury. I was working in LA during that era and remember the events well. Under the right circumstances civil unrest can come about very easily. Look at what's been happening in the Middle-East. It can all happen here too.