The Tibetan theocracy lasted for about 1000 years, and then was overthrown only by outside forces. Paleolithic cultures (measuring only from the 'take-off' around 40K BP) lasted about 30,000 years. Varying forms of 'tributary' societies lasted about 5000 years, particular ones only collapssing from external causes.
Probably in some sense Minsky is quite correct, but often to make it fit empirical conditions you have to have count almost any change as revolutionary. Hems get longer, and a stability has collapsed. Hems g et shorter, and another stability ahs collapsed.
At the level of change that _counts_ for Miles's argument, there has only been one significant change in the United States in the last 150 years, that brought about by the Civil Rightrs Movment. All ofther "changes" have occurred _within_ a pretty stable context. That one changed the context (or terrain of struggle), though hardly enough.
Carrol