One of the great ironies of any movement hoping to build a utopia is that as it gains success it begins to self-destruct. Coalitions that are carefully built up around common causes begin to fray, and the contempt each has for the ultimate vision of the other generates friction at first and ultimately spawns conflict among the factions.
Think Stalin and Trotsky. Stalin and anyone, come to think of it. Revolutions are real-life versions of the movie Highlander–there can be only one.
The United States and liberal democracies are not fertile ground for revolutionary movements because, with all their flaws, they function relatively well and tend to keep the pendulum swings modest compared to places like Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, or Russia. The revolutionaries are fringe and rarely gain purchase.
Unfortunately, the modern left has great support in our cultural…
