One Major Left Wing Advantage Over the Right

I was reading an article in a socialist magazine last week, where the author accused the Far Right of wanting the Far Left dead. Coincidentally, that’s the same thing the Far Right says of the Far Left: “They want us dead.” Ultimately, both sides may be correct.
A survey of soft and hard power availability likely dictates how each side will attempt to achieve its end goals.
This view of soft power and hard power may be the biggest strategy difference between right wing and left wing groups. In short, left wing groups exercise soft power, while right wing groups emphasize the use of hard power.
“Soft power” is influence, persuasion, and appealing to moral authority, as opposed to “hard power” which is primarily armed coercion and violence.
Exercising control over national institutions — the Cathedral of education, media, pop culture, the federal government and its agencies, etc. — is the center of gravity for this exercise of the Left’s soft power.
This is why athletes, musicians, and other pop culture figures are applauded for joining the social justice movement: this has always been an effort to saturate social justice messaging into the mainstream, to shape moral authority and the moral high ground, and activate those who sit outside the political and social spheres of influence.
In the information environment of today, it’s very difficult to sustain the use of hard power (coercion or violence) without substantial soft power.
But the reverse of this power balance is almost always true: the most important thing to understand about soft power is that it’s a great enabler of hard power. Soft power is the ability to frame information through a popular narrative, which absolutely supports armed violence if the message can shape the moral high ground that supports it.
One reason why Floyd’s Rebellion went on all summer is because of soft power messaging that justified violence and property damage. In the summer of 2020, how many times were we told that “A riot is the language of the unheard”? Through this moral imperative, the country was obligated to hear the rioters.
This is a lesson that the Far Right is learning the hard way. They exercise very little soft power because they’ve been cut off from the most widely available mainstream avenues.
This is why the Far Right, as of right now and likely by design, is doomed to the use of hard power to achieve its goals. It cannot achieve its goals politically, especially not with the rapidly shifting political and demographic landscape. With no soft power to gain support for the use of hard power, the Far Right is likely to ultimately lose.
For the Far Left (and the broader Left, in general), soft power (the ability to shape popular moral authority) is and will continue being used to support hard power (coercion and violence). Social pressure, the politics of exclusion and federal law enforcement action is primarily how they’ll pursue their goals against the Far Right.
Here’s the ground truth of this Low Intensity Conflict: unless the Far Right can build substantial soft power through political representation and access to the mainstream, violence is the only way forward. This is why these avenues are being shut off. It’s also why “There is no political solution” is a popular refrain among the Far Right. They already know it.
This is likely why there’s a growing government focus on domestic violent extremism (DVE) — not because of the levels of violence today, but because of the likelihood of growing levels of violence to come. It’s going to be a long decade.
Until next time, be well.
Always Out Front,
Samuel Culper
P.S. – Stay ahead of the curve in this Low Intensity Conflict with my daily Early Warning intel brief. We cover the political, economic, and social developments shaping conflict, as well as the belligerent groups driving it. Sign up at: https://forwardobserver.com/subscribe

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5 Comments

  1. Anonymous February 9, 2021 at 16:18

    5

  2. Eric Woodell February 9, 2021 at 19:54

    >>”With no soft power to gain support for the use of hard power, the Far Right is likely to ultimately lose.”<<
    With respect, I must disagree. The soft power of MSM and "woke" industries such as the NFL, is fading fast. The latest Super Bowl had the lowest ratings in 14 years, despite most people being locked in their homes.
    The left (collectivists, to be precise) rely on soft power to coerce compliance. But they've lost their credibility. Consider this last election, where Trump garnered 65-70% of the vote… that, despite the all-out efforts of collectivists to suppress the vote.
    You overestimate the waning soft power of collectivists.
    The left, however, knows that they're ultimately doomed to fail, hence their rush to deem everyone who doesn't think as they do a "terrorist." It's a desperate attempt to intimidate the majority of the country into silence.
    Thanks to "Big Tech" censorship, we no longer have a soap-box. Thanks to the cowardice of SCOTUS (Texas v. Pennsylvania ) we no longer have a jury box OR ballot-box. Only the cartridge box remains.
    Regards,
    Capitalist Eric

  3. Sam Culper February 9, 2021 at 21:07

    5

  4. Kaiserworks February 10, 2021 at 08:11

    The wild card will be that the institutions that enable Soft Power are in a state of collapse. Collectivists are expert at getting power but terrible at maintaining infrastructure or fostering innovation. If the dollar goes up in smoke, this will accelerate things and present opportunity. In this, victory for the Right is most likely to happen organically not through any plan or current political party.

  5. sixalpha February 10, 2021 at 08:54

    First and foremost, The Forward Observer is a great source of intel. I read them daily. What is right will prevail. I believe we are in a great awakening. People, primarily the younger generations such as millennials, generation Y or Z, or whatever are realizing that what the left is putting out there is horse shit. Both of my sons were born in the late 90’s. One is in the Army and the other is going to law school. Both saw the crap they were teaching them in school and the battles my wife an I had with teachers and school boards over the non-sense that was being taught. I talk to people in my community and realize the youngers are seeing the light. I spoke to one who helped me open a business account at a major national bank. He is in his late twenties. When he saw what my business was he opened up. He said he wished people would take the time to read the constitution and check out the real history of this country and not the bullshit the left has taught in public schools. I’m telling you this will take care of it’s self. The young man at the bank asked me for advice, I told him hope for the best and prepare for the worst. I said get the word out in your circle of family and friends.

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