How to grab power in a democracy – in 5 easy non-violent steps

In the past decades violent means of grabbing power have been discredited and internationally regulated. Still, grabbing power is as desired as it has always been, and I’d like to introduce some new methods used today:

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  1. Establish your base of power by achieving a critical mass (75%+) within a group with a high barrier to entry. Examples of barriers to entry: genetics (familiar ties, skin, eye color, hair type – takes 2+ generations to enter), religion (takes 2-10 years to enter), language (very hard to enter after the age of 10).
  2. Encourage your followers to have many children – because of common ethical concerns, other groups will help you bring them up.
  3. Control the system of indoctrination, such as religious schooling, government-based educational system, entertainment, popular culture – limiting the loss of children to out-group (only needed for non-genetic barriers to entry).
  4. Wait 18 years for your followers’ children to become eligible to vote.
  5. Win elections by popular vote – and have the option of abolishing democracy and instituting the rule by in-group.

Other tricks of the trade:

  • Support economic and social policies that benefit the in-group disproportionally more than out-group.
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  • Supporting the immigration of people that can join the group, or evangelize your message to potential followers.
  • Focus on out-group members in distress, as they appreciate help, become more willing to convert, and are more eager about in-group.
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  • Support emigration of out-group members.

Barriers to entry are an important factor that strengthens the internal cohesion of the group and helps maintain the base of power you’ve established.

This strategy has been and is being applied in numerous countries, and is a weaker form of genocide especially when the in-group is based on genetics.

Disclaimer: I do not endorse such (or any) power-grabbing strategies. I believe that being aware of such strategies is the first step to making the world a better place. I find that structuring research findings in the form of “How to”s and “5 Easy Steps” appealing to self-interest communicate information more efficiently than academic treatises in today’s conditions of information overload.

Bibliography: Jack Parsons (who sadly recently passed away) wrote a book, Population Competition for Security or Attack: A Study of the Perilous Pursuit of Power Through Weight of Numbers.” Nobody wanted to publish it, though, so Jack had to start his own publishing house.

What do you think?

[July 5, Stefano Bertolo points to Bryan Caplan’s article on “liberty in the long term”.]