Politics: Power versus Love (It's not what you think)

Politics

I. Power versus Love

Politics

is the ongoing battle

between Power

and Love.

 

Power promises

freedom;

Love promises

equality and unity.

 

Power says:

Let us freely compete

and we will create

great wealth and

products and services

beyond one’s imagination.

 

Love says:

Let us join together

and create a world

in which all are equal

and all are unified

in the service of the whole.

 

Power says:

The ultimate value is

the freedom and uniqueness of the individual.

Love says:

The ultimate value

is the equality of members

and the unity of the whole.

 

Power says:

Down with equality and unity!

Where there is equality and unity

there can be no freedom and uniqueness of the individual.

 

Love says:

Down with freedom and uniqueness!

Where there is uniqueness and freedom

there can be no equality and unity.

 

II.The Bitter Fruits of Power and Love

Power says to Love:

Here are the bitter fruits of your unity:

the suppression of the individual,

the suppression of free speech,

the suppression of dissenters,

the suppression of innovation,

the suppression of entrepreneurism,

gulags, education centers, asylums, and assassinations for dissenters,

an anemic economy with poor quality products and services,

and dictators who determine the details of your life.

 

Love says to Power:

Here are the bitter fruits of your freedom:

a shallow society obsessed with money,

a shallow society obsessed with the accumulation of goods.

the planned obsolescence of products, waste,

grotesque inequality in wealth and power,

a permanent class of inherited (unearned) wealth,

a permanent underclass with few resources for growth,

greed, at the cost of

risky financial instruments,

poisoned rivers and oceans,

a deteriorating environment.

 

III. The End of Power and Love

Pure systems -

both Power and Love -

self-destruct.

 

Love says to Power:

Your demise will come from

an economic rebellion,

fired by the outrage of the Have-Nots

yearning for equality:

for Love.

 

Power says to Love:

Your demise will come from

a political revolution,

fired by the outrage of the suppressed

yearning for freedom:

for Power.

 

IV.The Struggle for Survival

Power systems,

(despite opposition from Power purists)

save themselves from the economic revolution of the Have-nots

by bringing some limited Love – equality - into the system:

increased taxes on the Haves,

increased wages for the Have-nots,

preferential treatment for the Have-nots,

increased benefits for the Have-nots:

supports for the Have-nots: healthcare, childcare, education.

 

Love systems,

(despite opposition from Love purists)

save themselves from the political revolution of the suppressed

by bringing some limited Power – freedom – into the system:

some limited freedom of movement and expression,

some limited entrepreneurial opportunities.

 

Power-plus-a-little-Love systems survive

with their fundamental principles intact:

freedom, the uniqueness of members,

and the value of competition.

However, such systems

have too much Love for the Power purist

and not enough Love for the Love purist.

So, internal tensions persist.

 

Love- plus-a-little-Power systems survive

with their fundamental principles intact:

the equality and unity of members

and the value of cooperation.

However, such systems

have too much Power for the Love purist

and not enough Power for the Power purist.

So, internal tensions persist.

And the politics of Power versus Love continues.