Which Are You?

[forsyth]

"Men by their constitutions are naturally divided into two parties: 1. Those who fear and distrust the people, and wish to draw all powers from them into the hands of the higher classes. 2. Those who identify themselves with the people, have confidence in them, cherish and consider them as the most honest and safe, although not the most wise depository of the public interests. In every country these two parties exist, and in every one where they are free to think, speak, and write, they will declare themselves. Call them, therefore, Liberals and Serviles, Jacobins and Ultras, Whigs and Tories, Republicans and Federalists, Aristocrats and Democrats, or by whatever name you please, they are the same parties still, and pursue the same object. The last appellation of Aristocrats and Democrats is the true one expressing the essence of all." - Thomas Jefferson

The thing is, in America, even the aristocrats have to pretend, at least in public, to be democrats. And some might even think they are. But by their actions ye shall know them.

Comments

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

Me, I belong to that class who were once Democrats, but who find themselves in later life becoming Aristocrats, and railing against the change by fiercely upholding the values of the Democrats in public.

Because dammit, as a kid and lowest-level unionised clerk I could see the massive advantages in having more affluent people pay for keeping me at least minimally alive and functional, and I'm not about to throw that away just because I'm heading in the direction of that very same affluence.

I just wish I could have more control over what my taxes were spent on - more social programs and less mass-murder of convenient political scapegoats, please.

[forsythferret.livejournal.com]

It's not about how much money somebody has. It's about who they think should have the power. Everybody, or just them. There's a decent chunk of modern American rich folks whose sympathies are still with everybody. And there's a decent chunk of "everybody else" who thinks not everyone should have power, too.