Living Through the Seizure of Power In the Midst of Dissent

I talked about the consolidation of power in the hands of the corporate bureaucracy, as distinct from the stockholders. To this view, I still strongly adhere. ~ John Kenneth Galbraith

"What is true is that the idea of power corrupts. Power corrupts most rapidly those who believe in it, and it is they who will want it most. Obviously, our democratic system tends to give power to those who hunger for it and gives every opportunity to those who don't want power to avoid getting it. Not a very satisfactory arrangement if power corrupts those who believe in it and want it." ~ Gregory Bateson

You wake up every morning believing that you still have a democracy. But if you listen closely, you can hear that the old rules no longer apply. The executive no longer checks with Congress, and the courts, which used to be the keepers of balance, now move cautiously, afraid of provoking the seat of power. You're not watching politics, you're watching a strategy of domination at work.

In Robert Greene's world, power is never granted, it's taken. And the art of that taking is what you're witnessing today. The executive creates fear and loyalty in equal measure. He's an exemplar of strength, never question. As a long-term tactician, he eliminates competition not with bullets but with shame, propaganda, and institutional fatigue. You've seen leaders consolidate power before, but today you're part of the story, and you're either a pawn or a player.

Power tempts you. It promises security from the chaos that it stealthily generates. It says to you, "Take my path, and you will be secure." It illustrates to you how to suspect opposition, how to see criticism as treason. Greene would call this Law 3, "Conceal your intentions." You are not being led, you are being maneuvered.

However, not all of the power lies in the hands of the executive. The most powerful force to oppose any autocrat is the political bloodline people, the concentrated will of those who remember that power can flow upwards, and not necessarily downwards. When the people move, when they speak in collective belief, they invoke a power beyond the capacity of any autocrat to control.