Scenarios
In which Rat explains
Good time of the day, humans!
Transcript:
Rat: — A government would resort to violence in two scenarios: either it fears the people...
Cousin: — Or?
Rat: — ...or it doesn’t fear the people.
But, Rat! This doesn’t match our empirical observations! Governments are able to refrain from violence for prolonged periods! Occasionally even for several weeks at a time!
Well, the missing variable is certainty. Most of the violence tends to occur when they’re certain there are no other options, or they’re certain they’d get away with it. Less certainty = less violence.
(This is the promised elaboration to the story of sowing confusion.)
Nobody really minds when the violence makes the trains run on time, the bread fresh and circus amusing.
It's when the violence gives no returns that the common people begin to wonder and have thoughts...
Tax slavery is violence, it goes kinetic when one tries to be free.