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Thoughtson
Violence and Democracy
BARRINGTON
MOORE,JR.
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2 1 URBAN RIOTS: VIOLENCE AND SOCIAL CHANGE
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THOUGHTS ON VIOLENCE AND DEMOCRACY 3
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4 URBAN RIOTS: VIOLENCE AND SOCIAL CHANGE
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THOUGHTS ON VIOLENCE AND DEMOCRACY 1 5
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6 I URBAN RIOTS: VIOLENCE AND SOCIAL CHANGE
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THOUGHTS ON VIOLENCE AND DEMOCRACY 7
II
What do thesegeneralconsiderations implyin more concrete
termsaboutAmerican societytoday? Some of theclassicingredients
of a revolutionary upheaval are discernible.Theyincludesomething
resembling whatTrotskycalleda "crisisin theaffairs of theruling
order"-thatis, the beginningsof a split withinthe dominant
classesover majorpolicies-and massiverumblings of discontent
fromthebottomlayersof thepopulation.Otheringredients essen-
tialtosuccessare,on theotherhand,missing.
In themajorinternal conflicts of thepastthreecenturies thesocial
orderhas, to be sure,brokenapartfromthe top downwards, even
thoughpopulargrievances have contributed heavilyto the lines of
fracture. If in thesestruggles competing sectionsof the elitehave
eachmanagedto getcontrolof partsof theinstruments of violence
(themilitary forces and the police),the resulthas been a civilwar.
If,on theotherhand,thesoldiersand thepoliceturnout be un- bo
willingto use forceagainstfellowcitizens, as happened in theFrench
and RussianRevolutions, the consequence has been what we call
a revolution. Neithereventuality appearsto be in thecardsat all in
Americansociety.The overwhelming elementsof coercionseem
likelyto remainfirmly in thehandsof whatourtextbooks call duly
constituted For thisreasonalone,talkaboutrevolution
authorities.
is in myjudgment puretalkwithpotentially dangerousand tragic
consequences. At thesame timea morelimiteddegreeof violence,
evenin theformof blackriotsdirected at whatwidesectionsof the
whitecommunity regard specificinjustices-forexample,un-
as
provokedpolicebrutality-could have someeffect in puttingmore
steambehindrespectable oppositionto prevailing injustice.To this
point I willreturn.
If successful revolution is out of the question,whatpossibilities
remain? TentativelyI willsuggesttwo.
The firstI would call the popular solution,because in the short
run it looks the easiest and may be the one that commandsthe
widest popular support.In effectit amounts to more of the same:
intensifyingcounterrevolutionary militaryeffortsoutside America,
7
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8 1 URBAN RIOTS: VIOLENCE AND SOCIAL CHANGE
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THOUGHTS ON VIOLENCE AND DEMOCRACY 9
III
The skepticismI have expressedabout the posible solutions for
Americansocietyimpliesan obligationto make at least a few brief
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101 URBAN RIOTS: VIOLENCE AND SOCIAL CHANGE
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THOUGHTS ON VIOLENCE AND DEMOCRACY 1I
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12 1 URBAN
RIOTS:VIOLENCE
ANDSOCIALCHANGE
12
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