The Plutocratic Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalist Capitulation
Sovereign Citizens R us?
In the early 1900’s, the German social scientist, Max Weber, wrote a book called, “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.” His thesis was that the Protestant work ethic was a vital force behind the development of capitalism. That’s because, unlike Catholicism and other religions, Protestantism valued the pursuit and rewards of worldly attainment rather than whatever might be in store in some version of an afterlife. Weber’s book is considered one of the most important books ever written about the history and nature of Western society.
Now is the time for a new work of social science detailing the newest, most powerful forces shaping our economy and society; and I would title it: The Plutocratic Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalist Capitulation.
I don’t have time to write this book at the moment, but I can summarize it’s thesis: The Plutocratic ethic of a faction of our super-wealthy elites who are motivated by the values of the “Sovereign Citizen” movement, is driving these elites to literally tear-down our government and take sovereignty over our nation. This Plutocratic faction of our “Sovereign Citizens” (believers claim to be immune from government authority) has overtaken the spirit of ordinary capitalists, like Donald Trump, who are (knowingly or not) capitulating to this extraordinarily lawless and powerful elite.
Elon Musk is at the titular head of this movement. He is our nation’s and the world’s wealthiest and most megalomaniacal Sovereign Citizen. With Donald Trump’s support, he is seizing control of essential government operations, including the US Treasury, the DOJ, and many other agencies and functions.
Musk’s actions are, of course, illegal and unconstitutional.
President Trump has empowered Elon Musk and turned him loose, to lead the second attempt at a coup following Trump’s pathetically amateurish insurrectionary mob assault on the Capitol failed. Elon Musk could well succeed.
I and many others will hope to be able to write the books and papers that will describe and analyze this new socio-economic ethic and its impact on our nation and on history. But only on one (combined) condition:
Donald Trump must be reigned-in. Elon Musk must be stopped.
Donald Trump must be prevented by law from, among other things, enabling a coup. And in particular, he must be prevented from delegating government power to a private citizen or to any citizen who would help lead or effect extra-legal seizures of government resources and institutions.
Elon Musk must be arrested and jailed. He has already committed a host of crimes against our Republic of laws.
All government data and property must be reclaimed from Musk.
Any directive issued by Musk or anyone who works with or for him must be rescinded.
Musk’s co-conspirators and collaborators must be similarly stopped, arrested, and forced to return government property.
In this extraordinarily fraught moment, anything short of decisively asserting the principles and force of our laws and Constitutional order could be catastrophic for our nation and likely for our world.
And no one wants to write the books and articles about that — assuming anyone would still be allowed to do so.