Anything less tends to be ignored.

Well it's not a revolution if it's not bloody. But if you would support the government no matter what and regardless of the reason and aims of the revolution then you are simply a puppet. :shrug:

So is freedom.

Yeah this summarises it.

Thing is, western societies have it pretty good at the moment, so any wishing for a revolution there is futile.

"HURR DURR it's not a utopia yet so govnernt is eval" is a terrible motivator for most people. Call us puppets if you will; people don't work for free.

This

I was disgusted. Being in their exact demographic I actually support (or rather cannot fault) the rise in fees. The violence was perpetrated either by rent-a-mob anarchists or idiots who don't deserve the state investment of uni in the first place. Not only that, but I have yet to hear a single good reason for the violence. Especially given that most of them weren't even able to vote, so smashing up the property of people who can vote is not the best way to rally meaningful support to your cause.

Seeing my peers' responses to it on Facebook was also fairly nauseating.

Anyway, the point is that people are just as prone to becoming indignant now as ever. We simply have it really good at the moment so we have no reason to overthrow the government (I'm speaking from a UK point of view, so standards are going to vary between countries...)

That was the "other factors" I meant.

While I didn't support the rise in fees, that's pretty much it.

If those people had been in an actual revolt, the police would not have been holding them off with shields and truncheons. They'd have been shooting them. The idea that that rabble of kids and hooligans could incite a revolution against an armed government is ridiculous. Edpecially when most of those at the protests favour weapon restrictions.

nope.

The violence at those demonstrations was ridiculous - damaging property is not the way to get people to be sympathetic to your cause, imo. However, if it was a peaceful protest, it probably wouldn't have got as much coverage :shrug: I agree with greatcarbuncle - I don't think revolution is possible over here, as the majority of people have it too good (or good enough, at least). A certain party should have seen that reaction coming though - way to screw over the student vote they fought so hard for.

You know what I meant

I can't really be sympathetic to that bunch of protestors, considering I'm paying, what, 50k for uni?

As for the OP's question:

The citizenry of the western nations isn't actually all that dissastified. THey have nice, comfortable lives, and live in countries where the peaceful exchange of power is often an enshrined principal of a functioning government. Also, to violently revolt is to risk death. WHen you already have a job, nice house, and car, why risk death, or charges of treason, or execution after being convicted of treason in order to change a few laws in a government system your largely satisfied with?

Yes, if the people are united. In some nations, like the U.S., people are divided, possibly kept that way on purpose. We have our individual "cake" servings to eat, which keeps us satisfied, and not paying attention to what the invisible hand is doing.

different mentality i guess darth.

Step 1: Start a Facebook group.

:rofl:

Besides being frikkin HILARIOUS, this sums up why a revolution won't take place. As it's been said, you only go for a revolution when you have pretty much nothing to lose, and few people in the West are at that today. Besides, several nations have ways the public can cast out their government written into their laws, and such methods would probably be simpler to start with

Sure, and constitutionally speaking Chancellor Hitler should only have invoked his emergency powers in an actual emergency, and we all know how that played out.

Yes, but there hasn't been much need for one so there hasn't really been a real one. Sometimes, a few people get a little upset by the egressions they perceive, but these aren't real reasons for a revolution. I think what I'm trying to say is:

"Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes."

Nope, this ain't Hollywood and the world ain't Hell yet...its gettin' there,,,but It Ain't Hell Yet.

"a little rebellion now and then is a good thing"

Thomas Jefferson, in lieu of Shays' Rebellion, Massachusetts 1786

;)

Well, that didn't take long.

If you want to see what a 'modern' revolution is like - just go and Google Tunisia. Of course, that was more a simple resignation in the face of overwhelming opposition than a revolution, as the entire government wasn't overthrown or anything like that. There are very few places in the world where an out-and-out revolution could really take place - but of course that depends on how one really defines the term revolution as either a simple transition of power, or a transition of power that also includes a massive socio-cultural change. Of course, one could also argue that the Russian Revolution was simply a civil war that the White Army happened to lose.

Bread and games, friends. We are too satisfied with our lives, and complaining feels good. Maybe we have a reason to be satisfied with our lives, some people over time revolutionized the world for us. As long as we will have something to lose, we won't budge. Why change something that's tolerable for everyone? It's balanced.
Anyway, revolutions are made by youth. Youth has energy and not much to lose, much to gain. In our society, where we have fewer kids and advlts that live longer, the communities tend to stablelize. It's not necessarily a bad thing as experience and knowledge of the "old ones" brings evolution.

Shawn Phillips sang: Ain't no such thing as revolution, it's got another name. It's called "Evolution". Go slow!

To all of you who are saying it's not possible because the governments have vastly superior armies, I bring you two points.

1. Often in revolutions, the army is either caught off-guard or they support the revolution. Or they don't do anything, of course.

2. Do you really think a government is going to eliminate thousands of people who just happened to not really like them and expressed that? I can tell you that there'd be even MORE angry people after you shoot the first ones. You wouldn't get anywhere.

Facebook, Twitter and blogs have played and are still playing an important role in Tunisia's current political situation.