http://clowardandpiven.com/index.php/2024/01/14/the-cloward-piven-strategy-a-blueprint-for-chaos-and-transformation/
In a 1966 essay published in The Nation, sociologists Richard Cloward and Frances Fox Piven introduced the Cloward-Piven strategy, a political approach aimed at creating chaos to prompt a political crisis that could lead to legislation for a guaranteed annual income and an end to poverty. Fast forward to the present day, and some argue that the events of the past year, including the COVID-19 pandemic and allegations of a rigged election, echo the principles of Cloward-Piven, resulting in a significant shift in American leadership and direction.
The objective of Cloward-Piven is clear: induce chaos and turmoil with the ultimate goal of recruiting the poor onto the welfare rolls. According to the sociologists, a federal program of income redistribution becomes necessary to lift the poor en masse from poverty once chaos is established. This perspective sheds light on recent developments, particularly the response to the pandemic and the measures taken by the government.
The author of the article “President Cloward, Vice President Piven” suggests that the handling of the COVID-19 crisis aligns with the Cloward-Piven strategy. Lockdowns, closed businesses, schools, and churches are framed as part of a larger plan, with the ruling class spending trillions of dollars to rectify the damage. The term “stimulus” is criticized as a guise for massive income redistribution, where funds move from producers to nonproducers, a process that may further entrench dependency on federal government support.
In Cloward-Piven terms, a crisis is defined as a publicly visible disruption in some institutional sphere. The essay argues that the orchestrated response to the pandemic serves as a crisis, disrupting institutions and creating the conditions for income redistribution. The author contends that the crisis can occur spontaneously, such as riots, or intentionally through tactics of demonstration and protest, generating institutional disruption or bringing unrecognized disruption to public attention.
The consequences of this strategy, as outlined by the essay, are profound. The shift from a government by, of, and for the people to a perceived tyrannical autocracy controlled by a small group of elites is depicted as a manifestation of the Cloward-Piven approach. The essay provocatively introduces the idea of “President Cloward and Vice President Piven,” metaphorical figures representing the alleged transformation of American governance.
Amid these claims, there is also a reference to the debate over the actual power dynamics within the current administration. The suggestion that the vice president might be the one in charge, rather than the president, adds an intriguing layer to the narrative. The term “cognitively impaired president in name only” is used to describe the perceived state of leadership.
In conclusion, the essay argues that recent events in the United States align with the Cloward-Piven strategy, suggesting a deliberate effort to create chaos and drive the nation towards a political crisis. The consequences, as outlined by the authors of the strategy, include income redistribution and a redefined relationship between the government and its citizens. The provocative notion of “President Cloward and Vice President Piven” encapsulates the alleged transformation of America’s political landscape, raising questions about the motivations behind recent policies and their long-term impact.
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