> SA wrote:
>> The Eastern European communist parties controlled not just a fiercely
>> cohesive state but every media outlet, labor union, youth
>> organization, civic association, etc., in society - for 50 years. Yet
>> they were unable to impose to their values sufficiently to maintain
>> their system. Meanwhile the American Revolution created a notoriously
>> weak and fractured state with virtually zero direct control over
>> organized society, yet its leaders were wildly successful in
>> imprinting the stated values of their revolution on much of US
>> society for 200+ years and counting. How's that?
>>
>> SA
>
> Thanks--you're making my point for me! Even though the American
> Revolution was initially supported by a minority of the population in
> the colonies, the political success of the militants eventually
> created a society in which their minority viewpoint became widely
> held. The social change comes first, and then most people eventually
> adjust their values and attitudes to adapt to the new social
> arrangements. See also the Suffragist movement, the Civil Rights
> movement, etc., etc.
Miles, you didn't respond to my point. Let me highlight the key contrast, again:
> The Eastern European communist parties controlled not just a fiercely
> cohesive state but every media outlet, labor union, youth
> organization, civic association, etc., in society - for 50 years. Yet
> they were unable to impose to their values sufficiently to maintain
> their system.
SA