Elitism and Democracy: “Living Is Easy With Eyes Closed”

By: Matthew C. Stelly

The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter

---Winston Churchill

       As a doctoral student back in 1984, I enrolled in and “aced” a class called, “Political Sociology.” It was fascinating, as was the instructor, Dr. Jack Siegman. He knew of my intense interest in politics and directed me to some outside readings. One of those was a book called Political Parties by Robert Michels. Although it was released in 1911, this guy was talking about another part of the world but knew a lot about democracy and, in my book, exposed it for what it was.

       Michels came up with this concept called, “The Iron Law of Oligarchy.” As you may or may not know, an oligarchy is basically a “rule by a few.” Not only did he say that fascism was inevitable, but check this out as you watch the morning news shows and the spin taking place: Michels made it clear that the official goal of representative democracy (like the one this country claims to have) is getting rid of elite rule (which this country DOES have) is impossible and that democracy is a FAÇADE that justifies the rule of those in power and get this: “elite rule is therefore inevitable.”

         Progressive thinking people can see this is the cases. We saw it back in the 1960s when we grew up realizing that the military-industrial complex was in charge of everything, that the tri-lateral alliance between the United States, Europe and South Africa was dominating the lives of people of color. We had access to books that showed what imperialism was and black book stores exposed us to such works as How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, The Choice, Revolutionary Notes, If They Come in the Morning, and so many, many more. We knew then – those of us who are now in our mid-to late 50s – that what was being taught in the schools about “equality” and all that was a façade. And years later sitting in that seminar classroom dominating my fellow graduate students, it had come full circle and the façade did not only include lies about equality but even bigger ones about “change is coming” and a belief, under Reagan at the time, that this society had the capacity to “get better.”

        Let’s stop kidding ourselves: Michels was right.

        We are learning what it’s like to live in societies that we used to thumb our noses at. We learn in school about the totalitarian regimes, the dictatorships, the leadership by coup, and so on. We use terms like “Third World,” “those people,” “underdeveloped nations” and revel in our materialism (while overlooking our blatant lack of morals). And here it is, staring at us every day, and the only thing that keeps this country’s people from turning on each other are the bars, taverns, sports venues, television programs, movies and leisure outlets like strip joints, Vegas and Atlantic City. And the biggest therapeutic catharsis of all, let us not forget, the almighty church.

         Look at all these people who claim to be Christians who are destroying this nation. Some will point that them and say, “oh they’re not Christians” but who, themselves, are doing dirt. I haven’t heard a Christian yet who talks about revolution that is taking place in this country. Oh they’ll point up to the sky and quote Scripture from a book (while taking money via the collection plate), but they never look at the “devil” that this entire system has become. Only people in other countries, it appears, can see it. And yet they break their necks to come over here when a scholarship or a visa will allow and join in on the oppression by keeping quiet and speaking against those who expose what Robert Michels, 102 years ago, pointed out.

         Steroids in sports, the use of the so-called “n” word, women receiving far less pay for doing the same job as men, invasion of privacy and data mining, global warming (the result of corporate greed), politicians exposing themselves on the internet, outsourcing of jobs, people killing other people after getting behind the wheel drunk as skunks, -- all of these are SYMPTOMS of what is endemic to this country. Look how it got started, spurred on by elite decision making -- and what they did to the Natives; then it was us working from “can’t see in the morning until can’t see at night;” then the Latinos got chased down to Mexico. Then the Asians were “allowed” to come here and work on the railroad and endure harassment and death.
         Remember the words of Michels: democracy is a FAÇADE that justifies the rule of those in power and that “elite rule is therefore inevitable.” Just because they sprinkle a few black people into a movie doesn’t mean its an accurate depiction of our history. You can bring forth all the butlers and “help” that you want to, but if they told the REAL truth, films would be getting made about Nat Turner, Toussaint L’Ouverture, Harriet Tubman, Robert F. Williams, and remakes of “The Spook Who Sat By the Door,” “The McMasters” and so on. See the difference? 

          In the view of the image makers (also flunkies for the elite), we “shuffled” our way to where we are today. And that’s the image they want our kids to take with them.

Elite rule is inevitable and I would add that it is “essential.” Obama ain’t calling no shots, man! On his watch more black men have been assassinated than under any other president. That ain’t no brutha making this move: it’s the elite that had to get rid of Qaddafi, Hussein, and who knows how many others after the U.S. infiltrates and instigates in Syria, Egypt and so on. It’s the same thing they did to the Panthers, the Weathermen, the Brown Beret, and the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) back in the 1960s.    
         Study, people, study!

        When they came up with “One Out of Many” (E Pluribus Unum) and put it on your money, it was a message from the elite. One out of many has a lot of meanings no matter what they say. If the words to “The National Anthem” and “America the Beautiful” don’t jibe with reality, then that’s a dupe being employed by the elites, one that filters down to the corporate and political flunkies to be implemented.

     At this very minute the Democrats and the Republicans, the liberals and the conservatives, are at each other’s throats. They’re not arguing about how to treat blacks and Latinos – they’re arguing about how many should be SPARED! If you don’t believe it, look at the prison system. But my point is that these groups are just the puppets, the cultural marionettes at the end of the strings. The people that are pulling them are invisible to our eyes. But they’re cruel and won’t mind taking a bunch of their own with them. Remember you comfortable folks out there, the words of the late John Lennon: “living is easy with eyes closed.”