Many of us who are lovers of liberty and try to be students of both history and humanity have long understood that the breakup, destruction, or collapse of these united States as a single federation of (now) some Fifty States would be due to internal causes and NOT an external force.

This is not to say that what we here at TPOL have called “Final Collapse” would not be encouraged, aided, and even expedited by some external operator. Growing up in the 1950s-1970s, it seemed possible that the Soviet Union and possibly Communist China posed such a threat, but no one actually could look at the numbers and potential avenues and believe either of those entities could destroy the USA. Severely damage it? Of course: nukes are the penultimate hammer. But setting aside fearmongering like On the Beach and other post-apocalyptic literature, something would remain and it would be internal stresses and forces that would cause the breakdown and fail to reunite the States.

But today, a half-century later, we find ourselves joined by many, many people who both predict the breakup, the collapse, of the American Union, but actually expect it sooner than later and in some cases desire it. We’ll talk about that later, but first, ask “how” is collapse likely to happen soon?

How might collapse go down?

Obviously, we could write thousands of words on this topic – and indeed, people have already written hundreds of thousands of words. But think about this:

A rapid but generally peaceful way? More and more people and companies just stop paying and collecting taxes, just stop trying to comply with laws and regulations? Ignore courts and bureaucrats. And even cops and federal agents?

A rapid but violent way? A scenario in which the Occupy or Black Lives Matter protests/riots expand and explode, engulfing major urban areas, and all “legitimate” authority in many areas collapses or just walks away? And the violence is taken to suburban and even rural areas, where some of the inhabitants fight back, and chaos results? And the government institutions collapse in blood and fire and worse?

A gradual but peaceful collapse? More and more stores have less and less, as supply chains tumble and fail? There is less and less infrastructure and services provided by governments? And by the contractors of government, as they themselves collapse? Many would argue that the bridges and roads, water systems, wastewater systems, and welfare systems are doing this now.

A gradual but violent collapse? In which (as the supply of various goods and services fails to meet demand) people resort more and more to violent actions to keep and get these things? In which government agencies are some of the first to resort to this? (Always, of course, “for the good of the people.”) But people resist, fighting violence with violence?

We can of course make strong cases for any of these four scenarios, but all of them have potential for ugly conditions, and what might start out as peaceful and gradual could quickly turn nasty: violent and rapid beyond belief.

Why may people want collapse?

Why desire? Not from hatred of the idea of “America” or even the FedGov, but from a perspective of benefit to people – individuals and families, not just “society.” What benefits? The benefits of restored liberty and freedom, the benefits (relatively, at least) of smaller, more-limited government, and the benefits of having to support fewer parasites.

Or would it? Perhaps if each of the Fifty States went out peacefully on their own, even with a web or network of cooperative treaties and agreements, there might be a great reduction in government power and agencies – therefore in officials, employees, and spending. Resulting in a theoretical cut in taxing and borrowing.

You wanna bet? Especially since someone will pretend to make all these governments pay off the National Debt. Which is rushing towards $31 Trillion, as I write this. That is $31,000,000,000,000. That is pushing $100,000 per citizen and almost $250,000 per taxpayer. The only way that can be “paid off” is by massive inflation on the scale of Argentina or Zimbabwe. Which of course we can see a ways down the road right now, as food price inflation is already “officially” at 13% per year and probably really more like 20%. This of course, just adds to the horrific results of a final collapse.

And of course, collapse is NOT a single cataclysmic event that happens (or is done), and then a new steady-state (good or bad) results. The French and Russian revolutions showed that: even the American and Glorious (British) revolutions had years and years of turmoil and change – every one of which resulted in fewer benefits, if still better than the status antebellum.

How soon?

Let us plan to examine this soon, but keep in mind that many people already wonder why it has not yet happened? All the way back to the 1970s.

Again, think on these things – we shall return to this discussion soon, and want your feedback.