My understanding of American history was that Americans were not united in this matter. About a third wanted independence, a third were loyal to the crown, and a third just hoped the war would be over quickly and they would side with the victor.
The Patriots used vigilante justice to tip the balance more in their favor. Many Loyalists were persecuted by mobs. Some went back to England. Some immigrated to Upper Canada, Lower Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. While some managed to take their "liquid wealth," their properties were confiscated by the Patriots. The Loyalists did not have political freedom and rights that the later constitution provided.
The parallel to 2024 is that the colonies only needed about 30% support to effect the revolution. This is the same size of the MAGA base today. I suspect most of that much of that base would prefer a Republican oligarchy to a democracy. They are willing to throw democracy aside. They have enough political pull (and guns) to make it happen.
From my side of my Canadian TV screen, Mr. Trump seems intent on using his presidential power to antagonize the political left.
A few days ago, I had a little discussion with a Medium contributor. He said he is willing to put his life on the line to stop the R slide to more oligarchy. He mentioned that many liberals too have guns. There will be violence from the political left sooner than we think. And that violence will spawn a clampdown---on everyone. Which is what the oligarchs want.
The antagonizing of the political left is deliberate. These social engineers want the left to start a fight.
How the USA got to this state is subject to a bigger essay. But it is clear that the Democrats failed to resonate with the average American. If 10m of the 89m who did not vote had voted D, Ms. Harris would be president. While that might sound like a better result, the D victory would have given the radical MAGAs the reason for their own vigilante justice.
Many Medium articles blaming the Democrats. But I see the system forced the Democrat Party to think and behave in this way; the way that led the USA to where it is today.
