Insurrection

The United states has entered a period of unprecedented risk as it transitions from a majority white nation to a majority-minority nation. In democracies, demographic shifts result in the predictable loss of political power for one group and the gain of majority political power for another. This increases the risk of demographic-based violence or despotism, which is evidenced by the growing intensity and increasing frequency of institutional protests like government shutdowns and threats of default. Their presence in the common language of politics is an unmistakable indicator for future risk of authoritarianism or secession.

Democratic parties will only have a small opportunity to use due process to impose government shutdowns, debt defaults, and tax holidays or call up their state militias in order to protest compromised elections or anti-democratic policies, but they should have one or two election cycles to organize themselves and coordinate a response. When democratic parties are more practiced with institutional protests, they can be more confident that they can remove authoritarians from power, and thus more patient before diagnosing a persistent and intolerable position. When democratic parties have more patience, they can avoid most conflicts, making it more likely democracy is preserved despite intermittent instability.

The same policies can be used for wars of succession or secession so when they are present in the political discourse, all citizens and residents should be aware of consequences of a default or prolonged government shutdown.

This book is a compilation of chapters found in the econometric systems of representation series. The chapters were assembled into an order that explains the risk inherent in demographic shifts and then provides descriptions of how government shutdowns, debt defaults, tax holidays, and calling the state militias can be used to defend against authoritarianism to preserve civil rights and voting rights.