Oahspe Study
Social Transitions from Monarchy to Jehovih's Kingdom on Earth
Perhaps of greatest interest today among Faithists is how are
we, as a social order, going to transition into the Fraternity social order? So
we will look at what is expected to occur in some degree as we move toward the
time of Fraternity. Highlighting some historical transitions should help our
understanding of what will transpire.
There
are five major steps of social order and its governance. From first to last
they are: Monarchy, Pluracracy, Republic, Fraternity, and finally, Jehovih's
Kingdom On Earth. Nevertheless, there were/are/will be transitions between
these forms of governance.
Pluracracy
This word is coined to mean plural or
split governance. A good example of the Pluracracy
is the European Middle Ages in which King and Church separately
ruled over the denizens of a realm. One significant feature, a hallmark, is
when one leader holds one policy while the other ruler holds a differing
policy; and since neither institution can do without the other, they must work
out their differences somehow.
Such a balance of power, though, is not our interest here except where it leads
to a transition to the next higher (or in some cases lower) governance
condition. Rather, we can understand that for the people in such a social
order, a broader range of choice is thus given them, compared to having just
one voice of authority (as in a monarch) that they are forced to adhere to. For
example, at times in various Christian countries, fugitives from the law could
take refuge and sanctuary in a church, especially when the case against them
appeared to be unjust.
The transition from Monarchy to Pluracracy is, as a general rule, very messy
and filled with warring factions. But once there, the forward step in
Pluracracy is to a sort of federated system, or to a lesser informal accord or
understanding (entente) with some sort of pluralism.
That accord (easy or strained) in any event can ultimate in the Republic step, since the practice of Pluracracy by the people gives them some
amount of choice in the matter as to which master they will choose to obey.
Eventually they choose themselves, in a manner of speaking, since they learn of
their collective power and can become another force within the Pluracracy; and with this choosing, they
choose in due course those who will represent them in the corridors of power,
till they rise to gain sufficient power to rule over other competing power
groups of the Pluracracy, at which time they set up a constitution for the
people to share power, i.e., have a voice in their own governance (whence the
meaning of Republic -- to REorganize power
to the PUBLIC). Which is a much more humane and potentially peaceful way to
change government than to overthrow an existing one.
Monarchy
to Pluracracy
Now, historically, the transitions from Monarchy to Pluracracy
have not been easy but fraught with jealousy, fitful vengeance, and series of
wars. This is due to the tendency of those in power to strive to keep their
position of power; thus a Monarchy
will not readily give up power, but only when it is weakened and must concede
some power does it do so. Those to whom some power (in the form of authority)
is ceded often grow in strength because the populace, having lost some faith in
the weakened Monarch, is, if not willing, at least not overly resistive to
support the new power broker(s). This turn of public support results in the
Monarch trying to stop the drain on his power.
However, when a Monarchy fails, the
state might not necessarily go forward, but it can fall backward into anarchy
(a state of no-rulership), in which case the situation usually degenerates into
a free-for-all of competing interests who seek to fill the vacuum of power. And
the resulting leader almost always becomes a monarch, but more tyrannical than
his predecessor so as to stop the state, or what is left of it insofar as
institutions and systems go, from further hemorrhaging.
On the other hand, if the transfer of power/movement is toward one or more
groups of a previously growing Pluracracy,
then one or more may actually seize the throne, but usually has less absolute
power than the predecessor, and finds that other loser power factions must be
mollified to some extent. Usually this means growth toward a fait accompli, or
de facto, or ad hoc arrangement of a moderate but often distrusted entente.
This reconciliation often occurs because the winning faction is looking to
secure the state from further erosion and desires to place its resources into
that end; and since their common enemy (the former monarch) is defeated, the
victorious faction typically reaches out with a gesture of peace to the other
factions who, themselves, are probably battle-worn and weary of war sufficiently
to negotiate a deal.
After the initial agreement, usually all the most powerful groups stay with the
accord, at least until they feel restored sufficiently to challenge or ignore
some or all of the agreement. If the situation evolves into a sort of balance
of power, the door for greater cooperation generally opens a bit. This often
comes about because each power group desires itself to be at least on par with
its peer groups, and with peace comes a bonus of wealth (otherwise spent on
military). This, in practical terms, means trading and the sharing of
technologies and culture to some extent. This, in turn, brings the different
populaces into an increasingly common ground (shared experiences) with each
other populace's or group's ways. Thus is built the Pluracracy.
If the Pluracracy starts to break
down, it will either slip back toward the Monarchy
social order or it will move forward toward the Republic
social order. A difference arises in the latter case because the people are not
moving toward any particular faction, but more toward a saner common way to
live that is more or less peaceful within the social order. This is because the
people have soured on all of the major factions of the Pluracracy. Instead, the people move toward
picking their own leader and having that leader work it out with other nearby
people-chosen leaders.
Pluracracy
to Republic
Now, the transition from Pluracracy to Republic
is normally preceded by some example or practice of the major Pluracratic
players. And this example will have a system and order closer to a Republic
form of governance as contrasted with the uncertainty of a full-blown
Pluracratic order. Which means these factions tend toward the Republican form,
if only so that the factions themselves can focus on their other needs besides
security. The many hundreds of small realms within the so-called Holy Roman
Empire of the European Middle Ages, loosely federating together under an
elected-by-them Emperor with nominal powers, is an instance of this type of
progressive model. Another example was the loosely-united pre-constitutional
organization(s) of the colonies of America. In the latter case, the Pluracracy factions were initially chiefly
each colony and Great Britain, but after the war (War of Independence, i.e., Revolutionary
War), the factions were the 13 former colonies (states) themselves. Which is to
say, the war caused them to unite, and the war debts they incurred kept them
under one destiny --- of course, there were also underlying spiritual currents
that kept them together including the shared experience of British rule,
treatment and war.
An interesting observation, for our purposes here, is that the transitions
between the social orders were accompanied by war, usually wars of conquest,
but the aggressors could settle for territorial expansion or increased
influence.
Fraternity and Beyond
Now, Oahspe speaks of three phases: Monarchy, Republic
and Fraternity. This latter phase is
often confounded and conflated in Oahspe readers' minds as being the same as Jehovih's Kingdom On Earth. But it most
definitely is not. Jehovih's Kingdom On Earth
is the final phase of progression in man's social order. We have elsewhere
written extensively about this, so it will not be reiterated here except to say
that the transition between Monarchy
and Republic social order, namely the
Pluracracy, is significant enough to
stand on its own as a Social Order, although its governance technically falls
under Monarchy (typically ruled by a
king or emperor). This then gives us five major social orders of man in his
governance progression.
The transitions between anarchy and Monarchy are often brutal, destructive
affairs. Transitions between Monarchy
and Pluracracy are, as mentioned,
generally secured after a series of bloody wars of exhaustion and attrition.
The transition between Pluracracy and
Republic social order generally
involve revolution and less warfare than in the Monarchy
to Pluracracy stage. This is in part
because each side in a Pluracracy is
careful not to expend too much on any one enemy; which is to say, because the Pluracracy structure is going to be replaced,
each side wishes to remain strong for the coming power struggle after the
nominal Monarchy is overthrown; and
as to the Monarchy itself, it is fighting
on at least two fronts, its own people on one front, and the members of the Pluracracy on the other front.
Republic
to Fraternity
The transition from Republic to Fraternity
is where things get really interesting. Let us see why. Amongst the world's
people, in a Pluracracy, generally
all major power factions demonstrate their faith in coercion through
intimidation, and failing that, in weapons of war; yet, they are more likely to
attempt a negotiated settlement rather than fight, lest they in their resulting
weakened or distracted state, get attacked themselves from elsewhere. In the Republic social order, however, there is less
fear of actual physical fighting (warfare) between factions. This is due to
several factors, one of which is that the Republic social order generally
forbids inter-factional violence. Another factor, somewhat related, is the
reality and tolerance of (if not the promotion of) pluralism and
multiculturalism.
For which reasons -- being chiefly the trend toward less war, and the
characteristics of the Republic
social order -- the transition between Republic
social order and the Fraternity
social order will not involve warfare per se; this is to say, there will not be
a violent revolution of any effect. For, stakeholders in the Republic social order will not readily cede
power, and indeed by and large, will bend their power toward their own survival
and the survival of the Republic.
Yet, neither will they stop setting up as many roadblocks to progress toward
Fraternity as they are able to get away with without suffering penalty, i.e.,
going to jail, being heavily fined, losing one's public face (image), and so
forth.
In a very real sense, there are many, many more power factions in a Republic social order than there are in a Pluracracy. This is normal since the Republic social order is a step closer toward Fraternity, and so, plenty of branches that
will later give forth fraternity
buds, can be expected to arise from within the Republic
social order. Moreover, another interesting fact about Republic social orders is that, once attained,
the people rarely are content to drop back into a Pluracracy;
and if it is imposed upon them, will struggle till they regain the prize (that
of having the populace in charge of their own destiny, albeit through their
self-chosen representatives).
At least for the above reasons, significant stakeholders in a Republic, such as those with high wealth,
positions of power, privilege, prestige, etc., will not readily give in to the
populace's "urge" to move toward Fraternity
social order. The facelessness of the Republic
social order (that is, its pluralism, multiculturalism, etc.) with its
multitude of factions act as a blind behind which these stakeholders will hide
themselves as they struggle to maintain their grip on the Republic social order. From behind these
barricades they can be expected to launch attacks (psychological, legal,
covert, gray-area legal, even illegal activities) aimed at any movement toward Fraternity that they deem they can affect (to
their own benefit, of course, even though some of these hurlers will pretend
that it is for the social weal). Bear in mind, we are generally speaking of
survivors here with massive talent, albeit applied for self-purposes.
By survivors, it is meant that because the Republic
social order tends to be a meritocracy (at least for the aggressive members of
society), those who make it to the pinnacles of power, influence, wealth, etc.,
got there essentially through successfully battling (usually without weapons of
physical warfare) their way to become the king of beasts in their particular
arena. For which reason, these are not people of slow hands and dull minds
(corporeally speaking, that is; thus they will be worldly wise, but too often
their Es wisdom will be lacking).
The point of this is that these survivalists are very fluent in the ways and
means of the Republic social order,
and so, all too often will not hesitate to apply these talents for
self-purposes when they can. Nevertheless, Jehovih will raise His hand above
their heads and they will not be able to fathom His plans, nor obstruct them to
any great effect. In other words, they ultimately will not be able to impede
the progress toward the Fraternity
social order. Said in other words, they might believe they are, for example,
blocking fraternal housing with their laws, but in reality what they are doing
is crystallizing people to all the more move in the direction of Fraternity and away from the Republic social order. Which is to say,
Jehovih will use the survivalists' evil to inspire people to give up on the Republic social order and to move toward a
better social order (which we know will be Fraternity).
While in the years to come, especially after the dip in light ceases in
2017-18, there will not be any war or violent revolution in the transition to Fraternity social order, yet neither will it
be smooth sailing. For always in transitions there are uncertainties and
possibilities for extremes. We see this elsewhere in Jehovih's creation. Take
in, for example, the transition zone between woodland and prairie. Here we see
the greatest variety of species and ecosystems, compared to that which exist
within the heart of either prairie or woodland. Because the line between the
two zones is fluid, not only are species from both extremes found in the median
locale, but opportunity also arises for new species or specialized species to
gain a foothold here and there. Then there is Jehovih's heaven. Consider that
people are most susceptible to change when they have reached an extreme, that
is, when they are at the edge of their old reality, and the old explanations no
longer fit the reality before them.
Such then, is that which stands before man as he transitions between the Republic social order and the Fraternity social order. That which was not,
will be; and that which was, will no longer hold sufficiently for the
possibilities unfurling before man. For some, it will seem a time of chaos; for
others, a time of exciting possibilities. And even as the landscape changes,
Jehovih's workers will march onward toward Fraternity.
Fraternity
to Jehovih's Kingdom on Earth
The final transition will come between Fraternity and Jehovih's
Kingdom On Earth. And whereas in the past, in Republican times, many
will have resisted Jehovih's movement toward Fraternity,
yet in the transition from Fraternity
to Jehovih's Kingdom On Earth, man
will no longer resist, but rather, watch, being more Omish (receptive), holding
a wait-and-see attitude in his heart, till at last the Faithist pioneers shall
found His kingdom to never again disappear from this earth. ||
The transitions from Monarchy to Pluracracy to Republic to Fraternity to His
Kingdom On Earth stand before us as testimony of Great Jehovih's wisdom.
May we all be alert to ever gain wisdom from Jehovih's creation, and learn to
apply that wisdom well...for His sake and glory, and for the glory of His
household through His kingdom that it may come on earth as it is in His
heavens.
All Oahspe references are from the modern language edition: Oahspe Standard Edition 2007
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