Famished petty strata always defect to the right at decisive moments

Evidence

Through this fictional account, by which Tocqueville manages to convey his reflections on the journey, we begin to grasp some of the elements of the peculiar process of adjustment to - rather than rebellion against - domination which to different degrees involves both Naples and Sicily: the absenteeism of an aristocracy lured by the pleasures and servility of the court; the predominance of private over public concerns, of duplicity, cunning, and favour over merit; and the fashion for crime and murder, which have become habitual and are even felt to be legitimate Moreover, not only did the Spaniards exploit distrust for the purpose of domination, but they taught some of their subjects to do so too and to pass it on to others. — Diego Gambetta, Trust - Making and Breaking Cooperative…, 2121 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Comintern practice collapsed left and right opposition into one category; Political acts can be erroneous, not merely structural reflexes; Long domination produces adjustment to rather than rebellion — Diego Gambetta, Trust - Making and Breaking Cooperative…, 2121

Related

• Long domination produces adjustment to rather than rebellion (similarity 0.84)
• A group can retain superordinate status long after its subordinates vanish (similarity 0.83)
• Sustained domination produces habitual adjustment rather than rebellion among subjects. (similarity 0.82)

Broader Connections

• Political acts can be erroneous, not merely structural reflexes #complicates (0.75)
• Long domination produces adjustment to rather than rebellion #expands (0.70) — Diego Gambetta, Trust - Making and Breaking Cooperative…, 2121