The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum — even encourage the more critical and dissident views. That gives people the sense that there’s free thinking going on, while all the time the presuppositions of the system are being reinforced by the limits put on the range of the debate. -- Noam Chomsky
Whenever someone tries to dig beneath the surface of political agendas, groups, programs, and Ruling Class benefactors of government largesse, he or she is immediately denounced as a "crack-pot" "conspiracy theorist." But what is conspiracy other than just another way of suggesting an "alternative agenda?"
Dictionary.com says:
an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons; plot.
Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme was a conspiracy. Global warming was exposed as a conspiracy too. What about ACORN? Curveball? al Qaeda? Enron? All conspiracies, right? After all, we have federal and state laws against conspiracy, and people are found guilty all of the time.
Obviously, conspiracies exist. So, anyone who claims otherwise, that there's "no such thing as conspiracy," is either naive or (more likely) being intellectually dishonest. There is no other way to explain it.
Now, there are good conspiracy theories and bad conspiracy theories. The fact that things don't add up does not prove a conspiracy. If things add up after applying a theory of conspiracy does not necessarily prove a conspiracy either. Anyone who sees the affairs of men as one long, successful, carefully orchestrated over multiple generations conspiracy is, indeed, a "crack-pot" and a "nut."
The problem with "puppet-master" theorists, who claim "they" control everything is that, they share with the communist a belief in the incredible power of intellects and bureaucrats to direct he affairs of society. "Puppet-master" conspiracy theorists believe, as communists do, that society operates in a "top-down" fashion, and therefore can be controlled by an "all-knowing" elite who possess a "god-like" ability to implement their plans without consequence and structure society to their advantage in spite of the self-interest of billions upon billions of independent economic actors.
Just because there are bad conspiracy theories however, it certainly doesn't mean we should throw the baby out with the bathwater. Our job is to distinguish truth from fiction, not to join the mob in defense of the "official story." For what would we gain by rejecting a tool that helps us understand politics - the struggle for power over others?
Human Nature
Not all people in this world are honest, hard working and honest about their intentions. Wouldn't you agree? Conspiracy then, is part of human nature. Politicians, bureaucrats, and other agents of the state are every bit as depraved and corruptible as the rest of us. In fact, I'd argue they are the most corruptible of us all.
Whether it's the "majority" who wishes to impose their beliefs on the rest of society, a politician who promises to wield that power for them, or one person who intends to immanentize the eschaton all by himself, politics, always and everywhere, is a vicious struggle for power over others. "Power," as Lord Acton famously declared, " ... " Decades later, conservative godfather Russell Kirk warned about those who seek power, saying "The conservative knows the proclivity of human nature towards sin; and he knows that the form of sin to which the stronger natures are prone is the lust after power."
Kirk was echoing F.A. Hayek's famous warning "Why the Worst Get on Top."
There are strong reasons for believing that the worst features of the totalitarian systems are phenomena which totalitarianism is certain sooner or later to produce.
Just as the democratic statesman who sets out to plan economic life will soon be confronted with the alternative of either assuming dictatorial powers or abandoning his plans, so the totalitarian leader would soon have to choose between disregard of ordinary morals and failure. It is for this reason that the unscrupulous are likely to be more successful in a society tending toward totalitarianism. Who does not see this has not yet grasped the full width of the gulf which separates totalitarianism from the essentially individualist Western civilization.
It is a fact of life that people are corruptible, act in their own self-interest, and that the coercive power of the state can be used to enrich some people at the expense of others. Therefore, logically it follows that self-interested groups will seek the coercive power of the state for their own benefit, while concealing what they're doing in order not to arouse political opposition or suspicion.
Governed by Angels
Whether Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, or whatever said party of politicians you prefer, none of them are angels. They are mere mortals with a proclivity to "lust after power," and whose corruptible human nature will naturally lead them to abuse that power. Which is why Thomas Jefferson declared in no uncertain terms:
In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.
Conspiracy Theory
Politicians, bureaucrats, special interest groups, crony capitalists, et. al., do indeed conspire, that is, secretly meet together to plan and organize their actions. They also attempt to conceal what they're doing for many obvious reasons. Unless we are to completely disregard the truth about human nature, it logically follows that people conspire to gain power and/or use the coercive power of the state for their own benefit.
David Rockefeller Jr. can get President Barack Obama on the phone, but you or I cannot. In other words, some people have much greater influence on our government than the rest of us do. Some of these people also wield similar influence on foreign governments too. So if you wish to sit at the dinner table, you better be highly skeptical of the various powerful groups. But if you rather be the dinner's main course, the "official" mantra will do.
**Post is incomplete and unedited. Gotta run. Just wanted to get it published before running out the door. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated. Thanks!**
Conspiracy Theory is a post from: The Classic Liberal Blog