Ch. 23, "The Coming Revolt of the Guards", notes

Ch. 23 "The Coming Revolt of the Guards" notes

Ch.23 connects all the chapters of Zinn; it's a perfect little summary. It combines the past with the future. Zinn describes his theory on a future rebellion to reconstruct society. This movment will unite the lower classes with the middle class to overthrow the elite.

· Zinn admits his “people’s accounts” is bias; however, history books are bias too. The books lean towards public opinion and. Zinn offers the counterforce.
· History books focus on Presidents and government figures. In times of crisis there is a savior in the government.
· The American system is the best system of control in the world. Rebellions are contained and the wealth is distributed to enough people to limit discontent.
· 1/3 wealth is contained in 1% of the nation. The rest of the wealth is distributed to the other 99%. The unequal distribution of wealth turns the 99% against each other. This includes relationships between black/white, property owners/property less, intellectuals/uneducated, etc.
· Zinn unites the 99% as the “people” in the book. He unites them in a way the Founding Fathers worked hard to prevent.
· The government tried to stabilize the system by containing class angers but did not succeed, as seen through slave/black revolts, feminist’s surges, and Indian warfare tactics. Later the nation’s capitalist system was concentrated in the government and industry. Revolts began in the Revolution and continue today.
· The government maintained unity by creating a common enemy, this as done through war and overseas foreign disputes. The govt. made sure only the 1% is unified; the other minorities are turned against each other and angered.
· Every time the elite thought they had returned society to “normal”, the subdued rose and revolted.
· All other nations, not just the U.S., are controlled by elite and revolts are shot down everywhere.
· Class consciousness has many levels; the subdued do not show their feelings or knowledge until they can rise without being destroyed.
· The govt. cannot survive without the obedience and loyalty of the middle men, the guard. The middle men are given small benefits to keep the American control system alive. The middle class is a buffer between the upper and lower classes. Without them, the system is gone.
· Zinn believes the system will fall; many different conditions (new technology, economics, and war) will cause loyalty to fall.
· These conditions, like atomic weapons, war, and economic disorder do not distinguish between the lower classes and the elite, or the prisoner and the guards.
· Growing discontent among the middle class. The middle class becomes open to solutions offered from either the lower classes or the elite.
· Distrust for the govt. has spread form the blacks, poor, and radicals. Now it has infected the professionals and skilled workers.
· New solutions such as alcoholism, divorce, drug use, mental illness, and new religions became used to solve the discontent of millions of people.
· The middle class is economically insecure at the time. Economics provide supplies for war, corporations, and weapons of mass destruction but nothing for public works and improvement. Capitalism has failed the lower classes, and is beginning to fail the middle class.
· Society is dominated by wealth and education has naturally lent itself to envy and class anger.
· “The enemy is anybody who’s going to get you killed, no matter which side he’s on. And don’t you forget that, because the longer it is remembered the longer you might live.” (Yossain, Catch 22).
· If the population united, would the govt. turn to its ultimate weapon-of uniting the people through war? Americans will want radical change, not just minor reforms.
· To solve this, the entire power system would have to be deconstructed. Power would be taken from the industry, military, and politicians. A new society would be constructed to benefit the 99%.
· This society would be nonviolent, dissolve racist attitudes, and unite the common people.
· This revolution could only happen in the United States, according to Zinn.
· His theory is not based solely on imagination. Glimpses of history portray cultural changes and confidence withdrawal from the government.
· The lower classes will continue to rebel, but the middle class ,may soon join them-starting a new Revolution.