One way of looking at society is that it consists of free individuals – citizens – joined in a community. And in a democracy, the people elect a group of peers to manage a limited amount of things that are better handled together. But people are, in general, responsible for their own lives. This is a firm and sound bottom to top approach.
Then we have the opposite, the top to bottom point of view. Here politicians and bureaucrats are the nuclei of society. It is what they want that is important and they claim to have some sort of right to decide over other people. This ruling class can enforce its will with the help of its armed wing, the police. In this society, the people is totally subordinate to the state and its needs (and whims). This type of society is predisposed for central planning and control. And it is less resilient, as it will have many potential single points of failure.
Today’s modern western societies mainly fall into the latter category. We, the people are not free citizens — but serfs.
The concept of mass surveillance makes perfect “sense” from this perspective. You will have to control the people, supervising that it is doing what it has been told to do. And those in power often find it useful if the people fear the state, at least to some degree.
Meanwhile, governments are becoming less transparent. Ever more deals are struck behind closed doors. Democracy has become an empty excuse for rubber-stamping laws and rules that mainly benefit the system, those in power and their special interest friends.
Recently, the US took the top bottom approach to new extremes. The tax authorities, the IRS, now has the power to revoke people’s passports. If you owe taxes to the government, you can be prevented from leaving the country. What is this, if not serfdom?
The question is what to do about this development towards an ever more totalitarian society. Why are there no steadfast and reliable political forces trying to lead society right again? (Yes, I know. Libertarian political leadership is in so many ways a contradiction in terms. But what is the alternative?)
/ HAX
http://www.svt.se/nyheter/regionalt/vast/svenska-banker-letar-efter-amerikaner
http://blogg.vk.se/kgs/2015/08/11/banker-soker-amerikaner/
It is a comprehensive strategy for Amerika to find such people who have moved to Sweden in order to avoid taxation.
Once they have found these people, they will make a tax declaration in their absence, which will have non exclusions and not benefits. The penalties will be far above $50k.
Sweden has a double taxation agreement with Amerika, where Amerika taxes are collected by Krono.
Madeleine’s children are Amerikan serfs by birth.
Revocation of passports of US citizens living in Sweden was enacted as a fundraiser for Amerika’s domestic transportation bill. Swedish citizens will pay for Amerika’s roads.