So I’ve been racking my brain trying to explain the role of the secret police in society. My basic analysis of the situation I outlined on the podcast, but here it is again. Mass Democracy means that the opinions of the masses matter because their votes matter
I wonder how far back it goes? What was the equivalent of the secret police in Athens?
The other question is: how were these bastards dealt with by dissident movements that actually succeeded? I'm thinking a large part of it is just popular awareness that they exist and they're awful. General social disgust goes a long way. Then again we've known the FBI goes after dissidents since the 70s and they're still at it, so that can't be the whole enchilada.
Don't know if you'll see this, but I'm enjoying your writing immensely. I especially like the idea that thought can be freest in authoritarian societies because what people think doesn't matter so much. But I'd like to inject something into your analysis, the role of propaganda. It's role is similar to the secret police, except it works on an explicitly psychological level, which can be more secret than the secret police. You raise very interesting ways of looking at things.
MAGA hasn't been shut down - there have been many attempts by Deep State actors to subvert MAGA but they've fallen flat, largely because MAGA is not a political party - it's a movement.
I wonder how far back it goes? What was the equivalent of the secret police in Athens?
The other question is: how were these bastards dealt with by dissident movements that actually succeeded? I'm thinking a large part of it is just popular awareness that they exist and they're awful. General social disgust goes a long way. Then again we've known the FBI goes after dissidents since the 70s and they're still at it, so that can't be the whole enchilada.
Don't know if you'll see this, but I'm enjoying your writing immensely. I especially like the idea that thought can be freest in authoritarian societies because what people think doesn't matter so much. But I'd like to inject something into your analysis, the role of propaganda. It's role is similar to the secret police, except it works on an explicitly psychological level, which can be more secret than the secret police. You raise very interesting ways of looking at things.
becoming immune to infiltration would be nice
MAGA hasn't been shut down - there have been many attempts by Deep State actors to subvert MAGA but they've fallen flat, largely because MAGA is not a political party - it's a movement.