Sophisticated Savages

“That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there a thing of which it may be said, "Behold, this is new?" It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.” - King Solomon

There is no doubt that the incredible advancements we have seen in technologies, sciences, and other fields have given modern civilizations unparalleled capabilities and greatly increased the speed at which things take place.

As we have become accustomed to the benefits of these modern developments, learned to depend upon and enjoy them, it is hard to imagine living life without them.

There are, however, at this point in time, many questions as to all the repercussions and changes that will ensue on a global scale; for the great power and affects of these amoral inventions are yet to be fully realized - And with this in mind, it should be understood that as they have been used for good, they may also be employed for universal evil.

Certainly the global economy and those of individual nations have and will continue to change, and with change politics at national and international levels will be greatly affected creating both schisms and synthesis.

Corporations have become international and nations have become more dependent upon other nations so that both economical and political globalization are now inevitable - there remains, however, a struggle over what this globalization should look like and the extent of it.

With these things in mind - How much has really changed - or is the world in the process of repetition on a much more grandiose and sophisticated scale than any time in prior history?

This coming wave of global change has been called by some The Third Wave. There also exists a political philosophy referred to as Third Way centrism - The Third Wave and the Third Way are interconnected.

The Third Wave as described in Alvin Toffler’s book by the same name begins with hunter-gatherer civilizations and is based upon the concept of waves - each coming wave of social advancement builds and becomes greater than those before eventually eclipsing and pushing older societies and cultures aside. The first wave is past, the second passing, and the third wave is upon us.

This cresting Third Wave is the transition into a global community of high tech, mass information and communications, and away from the waning power of the nation-state. It is a global synthesis created by a world of compromises and multilateral politics brought on by a global economic system driven by international corporations and financial institutions. It culminates with the attack on the nation-state from above and below effectively resulting in the progressive obsolescence of the nation-state itself in favor of international treaties, regulations, standards, and laws.

It is noteworthy that the term the Third Wave appeared before Toffler’s book in Plato‘s communistic-styled work “The Republic” where the Third Wave was the transition either by smooth persuasion or by brute force from any other form of government to a totalitarian system under the leadership of an elite class of individuals called “philosopher kings.”

Is it not paradoxical that many of those who protest globalization, when pressed for their solutions present one which is globalization? Their opposition is not against international laws or loss of sovereignty to global institutions, but that controls do not go far enough. They desire more and far reaching laws enforced by a centralized world authority wielding supreme power over all nations to create a more egalitarian global society.

The true conflict over globalization exists between those who embrace free societies and those who demand an authoritarian one. This was more visible before the fall of the Soviet Union when the struggle was clearly defined as democracy versus communism. Since that time sympathies to Marxism have not ceased to exist but have often disguised themselves in movements, organizations, and within political parties. Under new names these ideas have been given a new face and have become widely accepted within free societies resulting in polarization and cultural revolt.

To resolve this conflict between proponents of free and authoritarian societies and bring about global synthesis the Third Way was introduced. The Third Way is the political formulization for a governing system used also as a middle step to facilitate the transition into the Third Wave. Third Way centrism claims to be a middle ground between right and left. It professes to respect citizen’s rights and yet give government enough power to control social and economic conditions.

The creation of the European Union, the fall of communism with the break up of the USSR and the move by China towards international capitalism represents the global movement into Third Way politics.

In the United States the Third Way centrism emerged in a document created by the Democratic Leadership Council and its affiliated think tank the Progressive Policy Institute during the Clinton administration. The document (The New Progressive Declaration: A Political Philosophy for the Information Age) contained the core principles and ideas of the Third Way movement, which, according to their description is “a global movement dedicated to modernizing progressive politics for the information age,” and a “progressive alternative to the worn-out dogmas of traditional liberalism and conservatism.”

At an assembly in April of 1999 then President Bill Clinton along with First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton led a forum called The Third Way: Progressive Governance for the 21st Century. Joined by other European leaders discussions were held on the efforts of Third Way reformers to create conformity and modernize the politics and policies of Europe and the United States. This forum represented a continuation of an international Third Way dialogue which had begun in 1997 by Prime Minister Blair and Hillary Rodham Clinton in London.

This emergence of Third Way politics may be better described as a re-emergence, for although it is hailed as a new alternative, is there really any new thing under the sun? History holds a number of examples of Third Way centrism and other variants such as the Third Position, “the safe alternative,“ and “a middle way” among other terms. A review of these political philosophies puts modern Third Wayers in with some quite nefarious company.

The term the Third Way was used it the same context as it is today during the 1920s by Benito Mussolini to describe fascism as an alternative solution to the failures of communism and the evils of capitalism. Likewise, Adolf Hitler inspired by Mussolini’s Third Way proclaimed National Socialism as the middle path between communism and capitalism and attack both western democracies and Russia with a fanaticism which drove the masses into a frenzy.

There are other historic examples of this middle position of compromise but if we fast forward to either Bush administration we will find no shortage of Third Way politics. With the fall of communism under Reagan the next president Herbert Walker Bush frequently heralded the New World Order believing that the time had come for global synthesis of politics.

With the election of Bill Clinton in 1992 social and domestic issues were a third rail but international policies of globalization continued in the same direction and picked up speed with his introduction of the Third Way. The politics of triangulation and Communitarianism, something of which Bill and Hillary are quite fond, are also based on Third Way centrism, or more accurately, socialism.

After the 2000 election with a change of parties and George W. Bush in the White House the Third Way label was dropped for the term “compassionate conservatism.” Although there was an apparent shift back toward more traditional values and beliefs there was little change in direction toward internationalization, with the exception of the War On Terror, which has become a loose monkey wrench in international politics and a major reason most Third Way socialist want Bush gone.

And may I ask, what is “compassionate conservatism” anyway if it is not Republican repackaging of a middle way in an attempt at creating a type of socialism-lite with some traditional values? The expansion of government programs and increased bureaucracies along with the explosion of federal spending under Republicans should be evidence enough of this. Add to that, proposed international treaties which weaken national sovereignty and other issues such as emigration and it should even convince the nay-sayers that neither party is working in the best interest of the American people.

The march to global politicization continues regardless of who is in power and the actual struggle is over to what degree it will tend toward the democratic or Marxist models, and who will be behind the steering wheel.

Currently in the U.S. both political parties for the most part, and a worrisome number of Supreme Court Justices, support Third Wayism and integrated global politics to some degree - Politicians do not get the support of international corporations or the main stream media which is needed to win elections if they don’t.

That being said, the Constitution has long been eroding and we have been going through a gradual process in the direction of a New World Order of global socialism for decades - When you vote you are not so much choosing a direction as you are choosing the speed at which you will travel.

The Third Way, or middle road, is not a path of moderation as it would imply; it is an inviting broad road of compromises between freedom and totalitarianism which narrows the farther you travel down it.

The compromise of corruption tends to the absolute - How then is it a compromise?

Once a sufficient amount of rights, freedoms, and sovereignty has been relinquished the system of checks and balances is destroyed and the gravitation is to totalitarianism.

And “the more things change the more they stay the same,” for “there is no new thing under the sun.”

There is much skepticism over the idea of a New World Order and its viability. There is also a great deal of denial of the extent to which it already exists. The process towards globalization of politics and government has taken place gradually over decades under social conditioning and therefore goes largely disregarded.

One may argue that global synthesis is simply not workable due to the great clash of cultures of different societies. There is truth to this, but what does feasibility have to do with an attempt at it? Liberal elitist are all ready to negotiate with rogue states and terrorist nations as evidenced by their overtures, and besides, sound reason has never been an obstacle before. History is rife with examples of things that could not and did not work.

To achieve this convergence of the world’s communities are concepts of multiculturalism and diversity. The immediate idea is not a uniform world under a single central government. It is the conception of many tribes keeping their unique cultures and identities, all of which submit to an international set of laws based on a universal declaration of human rights. There is a central authority but the power of it consists of the aggregated civilizations of the world acting as a collective body. It is a tribe of many tribes, a nation of many nations, in effect global fascism.

What will be the affect upon small nations such as Israel who are outcast and despised by virtually the whole world if this should come into being? This will represent the loss of sovereignty to an arbitrary moral relativism of global consensus. Those who are in conflict to global opinion will be subject to sanctions or even military actions. Are we not almost there already? The United States veto at the U.N. has been one of the only vanguards against this; notwithstanding, in the case of the conflict in Kosovo, NATO showed an example of this collectivist concept in action on the behalf of Islamic terrorist!

That which has been is that which shall be, that which is done is that which shall be done - Is it then possible that the Third Wave is what existed before the First Wave?

Regardless of whether it is fascism, communism, socialism, communitarianism, or whatever you choose to call it, collective societies are but sophisticated forms of tribalism - All the nuances of terms and definitions may be helpful in understanding variations of each, but they tend to obscure the principle nature shared by all collective societies.

And what has history itself had to say about tribalism and collectivism? Tribal cultures have been the most savage and collective societies the most capable of mass destruction. Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Mao together are responsible for the murder of more than 100 million people. Not only so, but murders and wars attributed to religion may very well be more the result of the collective nature of authoritarianism rather than of faith.

Tribalism, Communism, Fascism, Socialism: all forms of collectivist societies take away self determination and individual rights, placing them instead with a collective group identity that acts to preserve the whole as a single entity, but in particular those at the top. Wherever interests conflict the individual is sacrificed; thus, if the greater is served by the destruction of the lesser, so be it.

Moreover, a collective body, primitive or modern, not only shares many common interests, but the most destructive attribute they all develop is a group conscience which gravitates to the lowest common denominator of morality.

The collective, or group conscience is shaped more by deficiencies rather than values, and by principles it must relinquish in order to become universal. Social order is dependent upon tribal rules rather than convictions.

This mob conscience absolves individuals of personal responsibility and guilt for their actions resulting in universal depravation. How great the destruction of the collective conscience!

The morality of any civilization is dependent upon the free and independent conscience of the individual, without which, the emperor stands naked.

The free individual will establish his beliefs upon the dictates of his own conscience based on faith in principles of right, and or, wrong. The conscience of the collective society is a shared entity based on common natural impulses of necessity, desire, and fear. It seeks survival arbitrarily through circumstantial pragmatism of perceived outcomes.

All men are destined to be ruled by a dictator, it is either the conscience within or the tyranny without.

The collective entity ceases to exist without congruency of conscience and therefore must suppress independent ones. The reason it tends to the lowest common denominator of morality is because therein lies the broadest pool of potential adherents from whence it derives its power. Not only so, but it is bound by fewer restrictions offering a greater course of actions.

Both communism and fascism are merely modern sciences of tribalism - Modern global tribalism will be no different regardless of how sophisticated it presents itself. The collective entity is too complex to survive in harmony; regardless of egalitarian attempts to achieve continuity, conflicts of interest must arise resulting in fragmentation and revolt.

When a schism is created by conflicting interest between hierarchy and subordinate masses, rulers will seek their own interest and become vehemently tyrannical out of necessity and fear; chaos, purges, and mass destruction ensue.

Benito Mussolini’s character is largely defined by his last few years, but before that time he claimed to be a centrist - and, before that time he was a radical Marxist who published a leftist newspaper and was vehemently anti-war anti-military, spending several years of exile in Switzerland because, as a confirmed pacifist, he refused to undergo military training. Still yet, it was his Third Way centrism which convinced the public, inspired Nazism, and was instrumental in facilitating a world war.

We hold in our minds images of history’s Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, and other of its monsters. We would do as well to know their character during their social developmental stages when they seemed at least somewhat rational men to the masses.

Things change, they develop, they morph, sometimes turning into what should be unimaginable - beware the radical middle.

Globalization has already taken place; there are many advantages, and disadvantages and dangers. Unfettered economic globalization brings political globalization. International corporations lose affinity for nations and become loyal to an international agenda. They empower chosen politicians and politicians empower them creating a synthesis of wealth and power with global ambitions.

Their vision is a global tribe of multicultural and divers societies in a universal system ruled by “philosopher kings.”

The voices of the media, the politicos, and international organizations are calling out for and demanding, peace and equality.

Politicians compromise moving to the center marketing the safe, reasonable, compassionate, middle alternative to the extremes.

Cosmo-tribal elitist Hillary “It-Takes-A-Village” Clinton and others promote socialism, communitarianism, and other third wayisms - all sciences of tribalism, under the guises of goodwill, compassion, and communal responsibility - But what will these bring other than an advanced society of high technology and savage impulses? - For there is no new thing under the sun.

History is a series of repetitions, and in the case of our times it is repeating itself on many stages at once, as though the times have all converged upon one point in time. The independent individual with eyes and ears and with a voice must stand forth and declare the emperor naked regardless if his voice is drown in a sea of voices to the contrary - for when all voices cease, his shall ring still.

The politics of triangulation and Communitarianism, something of which Bill and Hillary are quite fond, are also based on Third Way centrism, or more accurately, socialism.

California is feeling the full effect of TWirPism. The recent global warming cooperative agreements between Tony Blair and the Gubinator are just one example of the interconnections of the neo~~centrist~~liberal groupies.

Posted by nopardons to inpajamas;

“And because it seems as though EVERYONE here has forgotten, except me, I'll refresh your memories or educate you to the fact that THE THIRD Wave is the book and the philosophy that Newt Gingrich pushed and still believes in."

Thank you for pointing this out - I mentioned Republicans and Bush, but you are correct that Newt is the “main-bo’zane” who pushes this while trumpeting conservative values. I had not forgotten but my piece kept getting longer and I had to stop somewhere. - I may add a brief update to the blog version because it is an important note.

In what I would say is a “must read,” article Steve Farrell lays everything out in a much more informative a detailed version than the one above - I was trying to condense for my purposes. Steve’s article is a four part series; the excerpt below if is from part 4, under which is a link where you can go and then link to the other 3 parts.

Groveling In the Gutter of the Gulags

Democrats in Drag: Third Way Fall From Grace, Part 4

“……Toffler’s supposed decentralization, or what he and Mr. Gingrich called “decision division,” shifts power not just downward to the states but upward to the United Nations, to subsidiary international organizations like NAFTA, the WTO and NATO, and to totally unaccountable NGOs. (7) Nothing could be more centralized and anti-free market, anti-lessee-faire than these.

Toffler, apparently not one to miss throwing in a few hints of what he really means, a few caveats for his leftist readers, confirms this suspicion by his incessant insistence that national sovereignty is “a myth,” (8) and that these regional and global arrangements need to assume nation-like powers, to include enforcement mechanisms…. (9)”

LINK

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