Parallel Societies, Civil Disobedience, and Which States Control Infrastructure, Production, and Supplies

Swarthmore’s Global Nonviolent Action Database

• 420 Nonviolent Case Studies in the United States
• Browse actions by 198 nonviolent methods

The United States of Monopolies and Oligopolies

A free economy in a purely capitalist society requires competition. Unfortunately, the United States economy is reminiscent of the era ruled by the Captains of Industry. Capitalism can not exist within a monopolist, oligopolist, or corporatist system.

90% of media outlets in the United States are controlled by 6 corporations:

And according to a January 2020 article on Yahoo.com, 11 companies own nearly every famous brand.

The ultra-rich modern-day Captains of Industry contributed more than $2 billion to political campaigns in 2020. 2020 was an economic disaster, with rapidly declining GDP, massive debt accumulation, and inflation.

With the climate crisis getting more media attention as countries, including the United States, advocate transitioning to green energy, it’s important to remember before buying an electric car or installing solar panels to reduce your carbon footprint that 71% of global emissions are caused by just 100 companies:

Whether it’s climate change, social media, or news outlets, the United States has key sectors of the economy controlled by a small, powerful, and ultra-elite group of corporations and private interests. And cancel culture is highly effective in preventing competition. For example, social media start-up Parler lost their hosting services and Google and Apple removed Parlet from the app store following claims that the insurrection on January 6th, 2021 was organized on Parler. After Parler’s hosting services was cancelled and the apps removed from Google and Apple application stores, it was discovered that most organizing on social media related to the insurrection was actually done on Facebook.

It is illegal for companies to conspire or violate the law to inhibit business of competition:

Constructing and operating monopolies is also a crime in the United States:

The first step to stand up against a corporatist country is to stop supporting those industries:

• Use alternatives to monopolies and oligopolies
  • Gab, Telegram, MeWe, Clouthub, Ruqqus, Rumble, Bitchute, Gettr, 4chan, and Gettr are several alternatives to Facebook/Twitter/Youtube
  • Ubuntu, LineageOS, Calyxos, Graphene, and other open source operating systems are alternatives to Android and Apple (many of these softwares are known as “degoogling,” meaning they limit or prevent big tech from accumulating your data and improve security)
  • Use DuckDuckGo instead of Google, Use Tor/Brave/Firefox instead of Chrome/Microsoft Edge
  • Linux, Kali, and Tails are several alternatives to Windows and Apple
  • Buy local when possible and pay in cash (businesses must pay a processing fee for card transactions)
  • Review homeschool, charter school, and cyber school options for your children. If you have a teenager, consider having your teen take the GED
  • Order directly from resturants instead of using Uber Eats/Lyft
  • Consider investing in alternatives to the USD (hyperinflation risk): Silver, gold (FDR did confiscate gold during the Great Depression), cryptocurrency (Monera and other privacy coins are ideal), and tangible items of worth you own (art, antiques, books, collectibles, etc;).
  • Limit debt
  • Act locally: find others who are like minded or interested in creating alternatives to the system (social media, banks, resturants, schools, hospitals)
  • Live Not By Lies:

United State Infrastructure and Resources

Infrastructure is a key buzzword in politics (and not just the United States). 19 states and 2 Attorney Generals

opposing Biden’s vaccine mandates for companies that have 100 or more employees and all federal workers and contractors.

Here are the county results of the 2020 Presidential election:

The 19 state governors opposing the vaccine mandates imposed by Biden:

“Arizona, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming.

They were joined by at least two state attorneys general as of that night—Sean Reyes from Utah and Todd Rokita from Indiana.”

The states that oppose the Biden mandates happen to hold the majority of US infrastructure and resources:

The Pacific Region of the United States is dependent upon imports from China. In fact, Chinese imports to the Pacific Northwest are nearly three times larger than imports from the PNW’s second-largest international trading partner (Mexico):

Imports by state as of July 2021. showing that California and other “blue” states tend to import more products than “red” states.

In the United States, everything from gas pipelines to roads to electrical grids is primarily located in “red” areas (state or county).

Major corporations, including Amazon and Walmart, rely on truckers and supply trains for distribution:

Mass Disobedience Hypothetical

In a scenior in which extreme partisanship ideologically divorces the most and least progressive regions in the United States, the Pacific Northwest, Mid Atlantic, and New England would be at a significant disadvantage. This coalition will be called Cromwell, whose forefathers were infamous tyranical imperialists. Cromwell will include all counties that voted for Joe Biden in 2020 election. Wallace will include all counties that voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

Cromwell imports its energy. The main exports require energy, as does the regions reliance on technology (internet, digital data). The region is incapable of becoming energy self-sufficient if Wallace refused to export electrical power, gas, petroleum, or oil.

If the majority of transportation workers refused to deliver to Cromwell, Cromwell would become increasingly dependent on international supply chains while its engaging in record deficit spending. The labor shortage and strict licensing requirements to drive commercial trucks could lead to failure of Cromwell’s logistics system. If Wallace supporters in Cromwell only work for or with other Wallace Supporters, it could deplete Cromwell’s labor pool.

Workers already own the means of production: their labor. Refusing to work for industries or entities that assist Cromwell would worsen existing labor shortages. Cromwell residents who support Wallace could slowly liquidate assets while working remotely for entities in Wallace who can assist new hires in relocating to Wallace regions (perhaps offering cheap land and building new communities, a modern version of pop-up Wild West towns).

Cromwell will use the “power of the purse” to institute unfunded mandates.

For example, hospitals could be denied Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements for failing to vaccinate staff. If medical staff erect an independent clinics/hospitals and bypass the insurance industry entirely by having providers set rates. Doctors can set rates directly with patients. Clinics can be incorporated as non-profits and seek to hire other Wallace supporters. A large exodus of Wallace supporters from Cromwell could create opportunities to build new, independent communities and infrastructure. A non-profit could focus on acquiring large acreage in Wallace territories and connecting with Wallace supporters seeking relocation. Individuals could discuss their skills: medical professionals can connect and focus on creating a new hospital at the non-profit refuge, contractors can work on building new infrastructure for future residents, and teachers could plan a new education system. Non-profits can pay service providers and compensate them with housing. Each community member could have the freedom to contribute with money or labor.

While one individual buying land and building an off grid, self sufficient residence can appear overwhelming, collective action can result in Wallace supporters not just leaving Cromwell, but creating something better than Cromwell could ever become.

Those opposing mandates should refuse to do business with entities that support them. Cutting off funding supplies to major corporations limits their power. Because corporations exist only if massive sectors of society consumer their products. Corporations require labor and energy to function. While it is impossible to eliminate either entirely, significantly impacting both could lead to falling profits, revenue, and stock prices. Cromwell’s financial capitalist system is dependent on debt.

Every time you post on Facebook or Twitter, it adds value to those platforms. The more engagements that occur on those platforms, the more money they make via advertising. Social media is a major pillar sustaining Cromwell. Fortunately, social media platforms are only worth as much as the free labor and data users provide.

Disruptions in Cromwell’s supply chain, such as an inability to use the NAFTA highway system or access ports in Cromwell territory, would result in significant distruptions. Urban populations don’t have the space or labor to independently produce all items Cromwell needs. While Ottawa and Canadian truckers have blockaded trade routes and cities, the inability of the government to remove the vehicles has highlighted the crippling infastructure of western governments.