Red Blue 2012 election results by population density; source: Chris Howard
In modern America, those with the most land no longer wield the most power. In fact, elections are mostly decided by those who live the most tightly packed together – in cities and metropolitan regions.
Electoral influence and electoral power is concentrated in the most populous regions of the country. These are the places where people live densely together, where the governmental policies and ideologies are often quite different from suburban and rural America.
Individualism is NOT the general ideology of the city…
Instead, cities and population-dense regions are fundamentally about reliance on others, other systems, government entities, the shared commons… The spatial limitations and people piled on top of each-other, requires a different set of ideals than those of the people living in the suburbs and rural areas.
Because of this, and given our current population centers in America, we are certainly headed towards further policies which favor those of the cities and metro areas. This is where the political ideals are focused. This is where the political power is concentrated, sourced, and wielded.
Most every major city and densely populated region in the country is of a liberal left-leaning mindset, and therefore one might logically conclude that we are destined towards wherever that eventually leads…
There’s one caveat though — when it all breaks down.
It has become glaringly evident that Americans have discovered they can vote themselves money, benefits, ‘security’ and other social and monetary gains – all at the expense of others – or at least so they seem…
Many have forgotten the old adage, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch”.
Someone has to pay. And someone ALWAYS pays.
One day, when the nation’s ‘cooked books’ and twisted distorted numbers are realized to their full extent, and when our debts as a nation will no longer be supported by those purchasing it and keeping it afloat, it’s going to crash down.
The crash, be it fast and hard or slow and long, be it filled with war, world war, civil war, or drawn out widespread poverty and depression — it will greatly and adversely affect many or most of the same people in the cities and population dense regions of the country who contributed to the demise in the first place. Not saying that rural America won’t hurt from this, but their ideology of individualism will have better prepared them for what is surely to come.
In conclusion, it seems to me that if one’s political ideology is more right than left, perhaps more libertarian, more individualistic, self-reliant, more conservative — those values will probably not be realized again in a widespread and overall national sense for some time to come — perhaps not until and after we crash.
One day it may even come full circle… those with the most land may once again become those who wield the most power.
The American Republic will endure until the day CONgress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public’s money.
Alexis de Tocqueville
Democracy in American Vol 1 1835
The problem with owning the land is holding the land. After the crash, think tribes.
“The problem with owning the land is holding the land. After the crash, think tribes.”
I agree with you for sure – power in numbers. Also, depending on your proximity to population centers (affecting the odds of desperate and dangerous foraging gangs), there will be people trying to take it.
In a semi-crash where there is still a government which is enforcing some sort of law of the land, there will still be taxes to pay (in one form or another). Depending on the magnitude of the crash, this will become an interesting challenge among landowners versus the state.
Don’t forget Corporate’s Welfare check , which surpasses social welfare !
There is going to be a reckoning
It is an absolute certainty in my opinion.
well it is good to know censorship is alive and well here.
this article is silly… private property is under assault.
curious the “MSB” permits such revisionism.
John, You seem to have misunderstood the intended message of the article which is not so much about private property and land ownership as it is about political influence and power and where it comes from (the population-dense city regions versus rural and suburban America). It is my opinion that left-leaning liberal political ideals have been enabled in this nation via the cities and regions of the densely populated masses – and that it’s probably not going to change (if at all) until the system collapses upon itself (more takers than than those contributing to the system).
The references to land ownership is a generality of rural (land owners) versus those who live on top of each other in the cities. Rural-Suburbia versus City-Metro. There’s no doubt though that private land ownership is under attack – no argument there whatsoever.
Regarding ‘censorship’, yes we do moderate comments which do not fall within the comment policy and community standards – including comments which are purely intended to bash and/or ridicule rather than to present an alternative point of view. We don’t allow that here.
“When the people find that they can vote themselves money that will herald the end of the republic.”
― Benjamin Franklin
few will own land- once the power goes off and the town halls are burned- all records will be gone– if there is any paper at the town hall
The coast people will run inland- as the cities implode – the mountain people will have a war for many years- homesteads will burn and be lost– a few families taking on millions???
those who can survive moving fast, light and in wolf packs will have a chance-
in time– land will open up again— and the strong will take it..
and the clean up will begin and a new cycle of human idiocy will start