Can national populist movements defeat global elites? Those thinking about an appropriate strategy can learn from the Hussites, a Czech popular movement that repeatedly slaughtered the best professional armies of its time in the 15th century.
Their leader, Jan Žižka, was dealing with a conflict in which the Iron Knights were on one side. A mass of professional warriors capable of trampling, hacking and destroying anything in their path. And on the other side, the village peasants.
If Žižka had asked himself “why are these knights so strong and powerful,” it would probably have led him to put the peasants on heavier horses, have them covered in metal… and the result would have been nothing but carnage. This is the way some recommend today, and which seems to make logic on the face of it. If they have non-profits that go to schools, let’s start non-profits that go to schools too. If they have their youtubers, let’s create youtube stars too. But that will never work. The other side has been doing it for years, they have the background, they have the experience… we’re never going to beat them on their turf with their guns.
If they have their youtubers, let’s create youtube stars too. But that will never work.
Žižka asked a different question. What are their weaknesses. And it’s true that everyone has weaknesses. Even the Iron Knights had them. Indiscipline, clumsiness, poor movement in difficult terrain, unwillingness to adopt new technologies, and more. So Žižka built an army focused on exploiting those weaknesses. A disciplined militia armed with firearms and using wagon walls.
Historical weapons are useless to us in the 21st century, but the basic principle still applies. The right question is: what are the weaknesses of the current global elite? What makes them vulnerable? I’ve written two books on this, but I still don’t know enough.
What are the weaknesses of the current power elite? What weaknesses arise from the way they maintain their power?
It would be great if others thought about it. What are the weaknesses of the current power elite? What weaknesses arise from the way they maintain their power? What weaknesses arise from the way their selection mechanism works? And above all, what will it look like in a few years’ time? What weaknesses will emerge? What weaknesses will increase?
Yes, it’s challenging thinking. It’s a lot harder than “having an opinion” and shouting it out in a square somewhere. It would be even more wonderful if others were wondering about it. After all, it happens that when thousands of people think about something, they usually come up with something. That’s what we need at the moment! Not whipping up emotions or running around with banners.
