If "class warfare" turned literal/extreme...

[PrinceofWands]

Depends a bit how you define poor, middle, and rich.

Do you mean under $12,000/yr income? While it's 20% of the country, they're so poor that they probably don't have much in the way of weapons, equipment, or possibly even relevant skills.

Is under $25,000 poor? Because roughly 50% of Americans are there. Being by FAR the largest block, that's good bet overall.

Is under 40k poor? Because that's about 2/3 of the nation and they'll have plenty of goodies to use in a war. Makes it a pretty easy call.

 

[basslover1]

In my neck of the woods if something like this did happen, you should be more worried about the arsenal the 12,000/year type have.

 

[TecHNooB]

we're actually really rich compared to the rest of the world and have tons of opportunities to boot.

 

[destrekor]

It has yet to be tried. No, dictatorships or oligarchies are not communists. It also never will be tried outside of maybe 15 people

True communism actually seems like quite a good thing, for the people and species in general, especially when considering what is coming down the line for the globe as a whole (we have yet to actually see how ugly the food industry alone will become - extremely costly for anything good).
However, true communism is also all but impossible with current human mindsets. We absolutely cannot think like that, and I think, to establish and maintain a true communist state, we'd have to genetically modify ourselves to break past some of our shortcomings. We are, by instinct, far too territorial and tribal.

I think it COULD be possible, maybe.... just maybe... at a very restrictive level of governance. Specifically, a world government. We desperately need it, as a species, if we are to survive the test of time. Take the U.N. concept, make every single country represented equally at the world summit, initially share all government wealth and then keep it completely "communal." Countries become Provinces/Territories, and we are all united under a single banner. Of course, local government will exist, but the parties of the world can help craft and regulate (a United Earth Constitution?) local governing bodies.
It's also entirely likely that such a thing, the one thing we truly need (you'll see, as we become more globally connected, it's only going to get worse), will probably only be thought up, or at least only be possible, as a result of global strife and destruction.

With all these revolutions occurring around the world (thanks, entirely, due to social media and the internet in general), it does seem that the current picture of the world might not actually last all that long. Things are moving a lot faster than they ever would have.
Revolutions usually need a few decades to build up the fervor and "educate" enough people and get them to support your cause.

Based on history, the way of current trends, and how so many things are connected (in many ways)... I have no doubt the next 50 years are going to be rife with disaster all over the world... it'll be really interesting if any of that finds its way into our borders.

 

[rockyct]

True communism actually seems like quite a good thing, for the people and species in general, especially when considering what is coming down the line for the globe as a whole (we have yet to actually see how ugly the food industry alone will become - extremely costly for anything good).
However, true communism is also all but impossible with current human mindsets. We absolutely cannot think like that, and I think, to establish and maintain a true communist state, we'd have to genetically modify ourselves to break past some of our shortcomings. We are, by instinct, far too territorial and tribal.

I think it COULD be possible, maybe.... just maybe... at a very restrictive level of governance. Specifically, a world government. We desperately need it, as a species, if we are to survive the test of time. Take the U.N. concept, make every single country represented equally at the world summit, initially share all government wealth and then keep it completely "communal." Countries become Provinces/Territories, and we are all united under a single banner. Of course, local government will exist, but the parties of the world can help craft and regulate (a United Earth Constitution?) local governing bodies.
It's also entirely likely that such a thing, the one thing we truly need (you'll see, as we become more globally connected, it's only going to get worse), will probably only be thought up, or at least only be possible, as a result of global strife and destruction.

With all these revolutions occurring around the world (thanks, entirely, due to social media and the internet in general), it does seem that the current picture of the world might not actually last all that long. Things are moving a lot faster than they ever would have.
Revolutions usually need a few decades to build up the fervor and "educate" enough people and get them to support your cause.

Based on history, the way of current trends, and how so many things are connected (in many ways)... I have no doubt the next 50 years are going to be rife with disaster all over the world... it'll be really interesting if any of that finds its way into our borders.

The EU is having a hard enough of a time as it is to keep itself together, let alone the entire world. Unless you have an extreme level of control over nationalist tendencies, there's no way it could work.

 

[oogabooga]

I'm going for the poor or middle class (or maybe both). I don't see the rich winning this though, just a numbers thing. Unless they buy the military and private contracting firms, then it'll be rough being poor.

 

[Joseph F]

The poor would win. I'd flee to the UK or Canada.

 

[Joseph F]

Depends a bit how you define poor, middle, and rich.

Do you mean under $12,000/yr income? While it's 20% of the country, they're so poor that they probably don't have much in the way of weapons, equipment, or possibly even relevant skills.

Is under $25,000 poor? Because roughly 50% of Americans are there. Being by FAR the largest block, that's good bet overall.

Is under 40k poor? Because that's about 2/3 of the nation and they'll have plenty of goodies to use in a war. Makes it a pretty easy call.

Dude, this is ATOT. <$100,000 is poor here.

 

[zokudu]

I would side with myself. Everyone poorer than me is a lazy hippie, everyone richer than me is greedy and doesn't care for their fellow man. Clearly I am the only option.

 

[shadow9d9]

The EU is having a hard enough of a time as it is to keep itself together, let alone the entire world. Unless you have an extreme level of control over nationalist tendencies, there's no way it could work.

They are having a hard time because of the greediness inherent in capitalistic endeavors.

 

[shadow9d9]

Depends a bit how you define poor, middle, and rich.

Do you mean under $12,000/yr income? While it's 20% of the country, they're so poor that they probably don't have much in the way of weapons, equipment, or possibly even relevant skills.

Is under $25,000 poor? Because roughly 50% of Americans are there. Being by FAR the largest block, that's good bet overall.

Is under 40k poor? Because that's about 2/3 of the nation and they'll have plenty of goodies to use in a war. Makes it a pretty easy call.

I believe the median income of a family of 4 is 45k.

 

[destrekor]

The EU is having a hard enough of a time as it is to keep itself together, let alone the entire world. Unless you have an extreme level of control over nationalist tendencies, there's no way it could work.

The EU is far too much of a mess, and not at all like how a world government would need to work. But it's also a different approach, and we should never expect the first (or second, or third, fourth... etc) attempt to ever work out successfully in the end. We have that pipedream, but... when we fail to acknowledge history, we even repeat the same mistakes. Expect something new to work right away? lol

I'm also not expecting us to arrive at a world government solution, realistically, any time soon. Our people are far from ready for a United approach, no matter how much of a mess everything becomes.
But it is, in fact, the only way we'll ever likely survive long-term. Remember, we are a very young species still, and more importantly, the concept of complex civilization is still essentially in its infancy. Even worse, with that notion, a globally connected world is something of a fetus. We're still developing, still trying to figure out how to play nice with each other.
The earth is one big sandbox, and instead of playing together, most of the kids just sat down somewhere and are staring at, and throwing sand and maybe even shit at each other, and threaten to smother one another in the event one decides to wander near their little section.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Rigid thinking much?

The US is already communistic -- the community has just settled on capitalism with a governmental system of socialism as negative feedback. The current system of feedback only delays extreme stratification of wealth, though.
The community can decide to reset the state of the wealth distribution while keeping the system.

No, we are not communist, at all. Look up the real definition of communism. Here, let me help you:

A political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs

We are NOT that (though certain people want to push us that direction for some retarded reason, yay for trying to incite class warfare!).

That isn't "rigid thinking," that is called the definition of the word.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

You're going to need to be more specific as to what constitutes the lower, middle, and upper classes. Am I supposed to believe that every individual in the bottom ~25% will unite against the bourgeoisie? Am I supposed to believe that not a single multi-millionaire will use his power to influence the minds of the starving?

 

[PrinceofWands]

I believe the median income of a family of 4 is 45k.

My numbers were individual income, which in my opinion is the ONLY measure worth a crap. They were current as of 2006, however in the past 5 years it's become more pronounced concentration at the lower levels, not higher, which is why I rounded. If you'd like I can go ahead and grab more current numbers (I think 2010 is out now), but it will just support my point.

 

[Pinepig]

I'm going for the poor or middle class (or maybe both). I don't see the rich winning this though, just a numbers thing. Unless they buy the military and private contracting firms, then it'll be rough being poor.

Think about it using the money collected and spent by our progressive income tax, if the .gov falls the top cash/asset holders no longer have to provide for the poor through taxes, that money/asset will provide for a LOT of private security from the people that have those kind of skills. The poor won't stand a chance with just riot tactics, the only thing the folks rioting will destroy is things that they will need.

 

[ultimatebob]

I don't think that most of the US military is all that well paid, so doubt that things would go all that well for our %1'er friends

 

[Via]

Private armies are nice, but where will the food come from?

Who's going to work the fields? Who's going to provide clean water? Who's going to pick up the trash?

The system will collapse eventually. It can't be stopped.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Private armies are nice, but where will the food come from?

Who's going to work the fields? Who's going to provide clean water? Who's going to pick up the trash?

The system will collapse eventually. It can't be stopped.

From serfs working under their upper class rulers.

The serfs working under their upper class rulers.

The serfs working under their upper class rulers.

The serfs working under their upper class rulers.

 

[God Mode]

The rich always win.

With the middle class and poor, never have a I ever met a bigger group of people that hate and step over each other every chance they get. Then you have the middle-poor folks from different regions of the US with very different morals and beliefs. It's a giant clusterfuck of hatred towards one another.

 

[God Mode]

Private armies are nice, but where will the food come from?

Who's going to work the fields? Who's going to provide clean water? Who's going to pick up the trash?

The system will collapse eventually. It can't be stopped.

The chance to be "better" than your other fellow serfs. The allure of becoming even an iota better than the guy standing next to you even if his actions would never affect you or you'll never meet him ever again. Leaders change but the system (human nature) wont.

 

[Sonikku]

I'm going for the poor or middle class (or maybe both). I don't see the rich winning this though, just a numbers thing.

I think you underestimate the upper class. They have less then 1% of the vote but control 50%+ of the politicians. Even among Democrats these days the amount of campaign money you have has a very strong correlation with your chances of victory, to the point where sometimes an election reaches a point where you're choosing between billionaire suckup A or billionaire suck up B.

With powerful bankers and corporate executives being allowed to pen many of the very laws they are to be held accountable to and with politicians in constant need of their sizable campaign donations every re-election it is not difficult to see how a small minority of people can command a disproportionate amount of power in our "democracy".

 

[rockyct]

They are having a hard time because of the greediness inherent in capitalistic endeavors.

Capitalism may be essentially a controlled greed, but there will be greed inherent in any form of government.

 

[irishScott]

The rich are powerful but few in number, the poor are relatively numerous but incapable and largely stupid. The middle class is intelligent and collectively very capable, but is largely complacent for the moment. If for some reason the middle class was united, they'd own.

 

[HAL9000]

The Middle class, there's enough of them to compete with the poor and they have more means (i.e. weapons etc)