Sorry, but what a load of pretentious crap. I know I am usually too long winded, but I do it out of some misguided desire to be extremely clear, and lacking the linguistic skill to do it concisely. This guy likes to hear himself talk. A lot.
He claims that what has been done is Constitutional? It obviously is not. Its not the Constitution that failed. It was the checks and balances to ensure it was followed that failed. it was the will of the people to enforce the constitution that failed - or at least- has failed so far. The founders knew this, some saying it wouldn't last 50 years. We got nearly 100 out of it and came to super power status before it was severely corrupted and that is a good show, given how crappy people are.
But lets ignore that..
They all failed. All were well intentioned of course; based as they were upon “rugged individualism” and Constitutionalism. All fell into dissolution, division, and within themselves anarchy, because they were founded upon “rugged individualism” and Constitutionalism. Community cannot be based upon some political ideology; believing it can be so based is nothing other than Bolshevik delusion.
You can't have a "community" without common values - defined by an ideology or a religion. Even small tribes develop this. Culture is the glue that binds, and a common view of the world, and your place in it ( as an individual, tribe member, clan member or feudal serf) is essential. Feudalism does have the benefit of having a very simple ideology - that might makes right, and the golden rule: he who has the gold makes the rules. But an Ideology it does have.
Rugged Individuals in this country were able to form a community ( admittedly a minority one) that was able to defeat the greatest army on the Earth at the time around an ideology.... Hence his assertion
After SHTF, somebody who has an army is going to figure out what to do with the randomly scattered surviving “sovereign” blobs of “rugged individuals.”"
Is utter bullsh*t. The rugged individuals can and will form an army ( and a state) for their mutual protection and bound together by a common belief in liberty, individuality,and the rule of law (constitionalism as the author seems to understand it) - for the SAME REASON that it forms under Feudal systems as the author himself asserts
So, to whom are the familial, tribal and clan patriarchs to be subordinated? To the man with an army. Because the first principle of Feudal community is this: He who has an army will rule. And what is the purpose of this army? To protect the subjects (yes, I said subjects), meaning the tribes and clan patriarchs who swear personal loyalty to the man with the army for his protection for their people. Feudal society was a martial society and all loyalties were personal.
Communities of "Rugged individualists" - or the K-Type individual if you want to go with r/K theory, are just as loyal and personal as the communities built by Feudal warlords . Probably more so since internal use of force and threats are not the primary component holding the community together - external threats of force are sufficient to give rugged individuals reason to bind - and to form armies.
In Feudal times fighting meant having great strength, wealth and training - being able to carry and wield a sword, wearing armor on a war horse- all of which were costly. Now the field is largely equalized by firearms, as it was in the first American Revolution. Yes, there are advanced weapons and tech the military may have that revolutionaries won't, but as the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere demonstrate, those advantages are only enough if you are willing to wipe out a population. They are insufficient to subdue. Perhaps that will be the goal of future warlords, but such acts will certainly serve as warnings to those who are next that they must band together against the genocidal maniac or die as well.
Also post SHTF (of the type he is describing)
SHTF is restricted to two things; (1) catastrophic natural disaster on a continental scale to the extreme extent of societal collapse, and (2) WWIII, which necessarily results in societal collapse – albeit on a somewhat lesser scale.
there will be no more chips from Korea, no more universities to train in, no more just in time delivery systems, no more refined fuel, refined chemicals, and so forth. Any high tech advantage an army enjoys will erode by attrition. Meanwhile gunpowder can be made using dark-ages chemistry, lead is easy to melt, and brass can be reused many times. ( and Brass is also a medieval technology)
There will certainly be Feudal warlords to fight, and they will be centered in the cesspools of the cities - which are largely populated with liberal cowards, herd animals and violent feral monkeys. But then the cities can't feed themselves, and those "rugged individualists" in rural areas have ALREADY begun to form armies. They have already begun to stockpile weapons. They have already have solid supply lines for both food and fuel. No city will have the man power after the riots, looting, raping and killing that formed their clan to supply an army nor move them far on a march.
The greater danger is that the armies of "rugged individualists' devolve through the lure of power (One ring to rule them all) into brutal tyrants themselves after defeating the badly supplied and poorly trained warlords of the cities. So a "The Postman" style Feudal situation is certainly possible in local circumstances . But because so many Americans share the ideology of freedom, I think such an army would be resisted , and could be, due to the massive amount of weapons and ammo that would still be available. Take out each head by sniper fire as it sprouts .. I certainly would rather take that shot than allow my wife to be taken and raped. If you aren't protected by the army, then the army isn't serving its stated purpose. If you aren't safe in person or property, how can one be said to be protected.
This guy waxes philosophical about the "freedom of feudalism"
“Serf” sounds awful. But the reality is that the average serf in the 10th or 11th century had more personal liberty than the most rabid and anarchical “freeman,” who is a slave of “the law,” does today.
And granted, there are many more restrictions now, but there are also many more skills, jobs and task to be done now. So to some degree he has a point, but no serf was safe in his person or property. He, as the author admits - WAS PROPERTY and the right of "jus primae noctis" isn't a myth ( though there is no evidence it was practiced in Western civilizations.. darn Judeo-Christian ideology setting values again -- in a Feudal Society no less)
Without being safe in person an property, are you "Free"? Its like Harry Reid claiming that Taxes are voluntary.
So back to "community", "tribe", "clan" and Army
Where are the families going to come from when divorce, contraception and abortion (the latter two are the same thing – it’s called murder of the innocent), result in a negative population “growth.” Where are your “families” when your (so very few and “intelligently” planned) spawn are smeared randomly across the face of the continent, themselves divorcing, contracepting and aborting themselves into extinction with “intelligent” planning? Whence patriarchal authority when “the people” are “sovereign?” (Just who are these “people?”) Tribe in America is a bad joke. Clan simply does not exist. Authority is a farce.
I am thinking the author hasn't spent much time in flyover country. Sure, the people in the cities are aborting and dying. . The rest of us, not so much. And our families are ALREADY planning to join together come SHTF. We are already forging ties with the neighboring families forming tribes. Local governments ( town and county) can easily form us into clans. (hell, at least half of counties already are run by the most powerful family) And once the cities are gone and the libtard morons out of those bodies, the State legislatures will be able to effective form a new federal government.
While my experience during the flood is a situation that is obviously temporary, rather than SHTF, this community came together, everyone was smiling and helpful, people shared, offered help , and the county was good at managing the problem..even as my little town became surrounded and cut off by three swollen rivers ( There was no way in or out for 4 days- and then only for emergency traffic for a further 2) And no, I don't think any urban community I have ever lived in would have done it as gracefully. American's aren't dead. They are silent and waiting. Because we are past the point where speaking will make a difference.
So no, I think 6th century feudalism is probably a distant and remote possibility, and if it does occur it will be an abnormality in certain locations ( New England maybe?) , but I think American life as it was on the frontier the 18th century is far more likely. A very weak federal government and strong state governments and most concerns being local,and imports and finished/manufactured good being very expensive Yeah, that is pretty likely. Americans have experienced freedom, and they, unlike our founders, KNOW -PERSONALLY- the freedom they are fighting for and its value. Yes, Americans may make up only 20-30% of the population, but they are the only ones likely to survive a SHTF event in any great number.
And as much as I like Doom Porn, the author just doesn't understand "constitutionalism" nor cultures in general, and therefore his prediction is off.
