Political theorist and sociologist Vilfredo Pareto has identified two major personality types among the ruling elite: the fox and the lion. The fox governs through manipulation and innovation, while the lion relies on tradition and power. In a healthy civilization, power cycles between these two types, allowing for a balance that meets the needs of society at any time.
For decades, the West has been ruled by Fox. However, when populist movements began to challenge their grip on power, the ruling class sought to challenge powerful forces. The American left responded with riots, imprisonment of political enemies, and even attempts to assassinate populist presidential candidates. However, these efforts failed, and Donald Trump took office on a decisive mission.
The left is confused as an attempt to migrate to brute force failed.
Now, after the failure of the transition to coercion, progressives find themselves confused and divided. Their information management system has been destroyed, and their brute-force attempts backfire, leaving them uncertain about their next move.
In “mind and society,” Pareto explained that all civilizations have a ruling class and can generally be divided into two groups. The first type of one residue or fox manipulates information and rapidly adapts to changes in social dynamics. The second type 2 residue or lion is patriotic, courageous and committed to maintaining identity and tradition. The Lions are excellent at physical defense and thrive in an age where society must cut open territory, settle new lands, and protect borders from external threats.
Lions usually govern the strategic application of hierarchical structures and forces, maintaining stability through a sense of duty and order. In contrast, foxes rely on deceptions and social engineering to achieve their goals. If either group is too long without the influence of others, society risks stagnation, corruption, or collapse.
Foxes are intelligent, adaptable, and skilled at manipulating ideas and combining concepts. They are not bound by tradition. It allows them to imagine and implement radical change. As society becomes more complicated, they often turn to foxes. The challenges faced by elites in advanced civilization require abstract thinking and innovation. Foxes usually dominate through soft power to shape society using information management and bureaucratic systems.
Pareto argued that functional society must maintain a balance between these two elite types. When the country is overwhelmingly favored by each other, it eventually declines. For decades, Western countries have prioritized foxes while alienating elite institutions lions. Patriotic, strong, traditional-oriented individuals are pushed aside, but the unning-like and manipulative numbers are increasing.
This imbalance led to an elite class that accepts mediocrity and corruption, yet eliminates many of the most capable potential leaders.
Fox relies on information management and propaganda to rule through manipulation and soft power. Their preferred tactics include firing political enemies, freezing bank accounts, or using public shame rather than relying on direct power. While news media, entertainment and academia serve as key tools, public humiliation remains the most effective weapon.
By carefully coordinating the information provision of algorithms and developing a partnership between companies and intelligence reporting agencies, Fox-style elites can censor objections without technically infringing civil rights protected by the Western Constitution.
Soft power allows the elite to establish totalitarian practices without causing direct resistance associated with brute force. But it depends on the reliability and fame of the institutions that implement it. People can lose their work, friendship and status in a polite society, as it can mean adherence to these institutions. To maintain control, foxes rely on institutions that order respect and influence.
These institutions can manipulate the narrative and even promote absurd claims from time to time, but overreach threatens their credibility. This became most obvious during the pandemic lockdown as science, medical and government officials caught lying frequently. At one point, the cost of compliance with the requirements of these institutions exceeded the social penalties of rebellion. Faced with growing objections, the fox began to panic.
As their grip on power became weaker, the fox changed into a new tactic to reassert control. The first featured violence from Black Lives Matter and Antifa, groups that effectively served as Democrats' paramilitary weapons. This mob violence was covered in plausible negativity and was intended to threaten compliance with those who had abandoned their institutional authority. Once the election was secured, Democrats moved on to more obvious, hardworking tactics, deploying the FBI to monitor church services and intimidating parents at school board meetings. Fearing to lose control, the Fox-style elite tried to rule like a lion.
This despair was less obvious than the ruthless attempt by the left to stop Donald Trump. The real estate tycoon has sparked an ignorant reaction that has led to the progressive trying to bankrupt him, remove him from the vote, imprison him, and assassinate him. These blatant displays of force were similar to the tactics used by third world dictators. However, the injured animals were the most dangerous, and the fox wanted to do anything to gain power.
Despite their efforts, both soft power censorship and hardworking oppression have failed. Trump has secured overwhelming missions in both the popularity vote and the voting college. At that point, Democrats faced a tough choice. It embraces full-scale authoritarian oppression or allows for officially elected Republicans to take office. Information manipulation has collapsed. Their attempts to imprison or kill Trump backfired.
Ultimately, Fox lacks both the skills and determination of violence. They are not suited to wielding forces and are not skilled. And the sudden shift towards hardworking tactics only underscores their despair. The left is confused as an attempt to migrate to brute force failed. Americans refused both manipulation and forced. So what options are there?
For now, progressives appear to be trapped in a state of chaos, and they are obsessed with fighting internally while radical activists seek more extreme measures to suppress the movements they have unleashed. They lost morale as they couldn't move from soft power to hard power. I hope it stays like that.
