I believe if everyone who was against the current oligarchy started placing guillotine stickers everywhere, like you might for a favorite band, people would feel less isolated in their distaste for the current system.
And in an ideal world those who the guillotines are for might realize just how much they are in the minority.
Violence does work to change society, but usually not immediately.
Slave rebellions in the US led to people changing their views of slavery and strengthened the abolitionist cause
The Haymarket Affair led to increased labor protections
Coal wars led to improved mine safety standards
Stonewall basically created the movements that seek to protect LGBTQ+ people.
Attica prison riot resulted in reforms of prison management.
Watts rebellion changed views on poverty and discrimination
1992 LA uprising led to increased attention on police misconduct
Of course, none of the people involved in the violence saw immediate improvements, and most of them suffered for their involvement.
Violence informs the Epstein class that they’ve pushed too far, so they ratchet things back a bit to try to keep their heads.
Don’t pretend that they care about the signs and chants or some commuter inconvenience. They’re motivated by a fear of starvation, fire, and blood.
Also, if you look at some of the examples I listed, the violence was started by the police or private security sent to suppress otherwise non-violent (albeit loud and threatening) protest.
None of the No-Kings protests have become anything that anyone would feel the need to suppress. However, they give a small chance of hope that it will lead to something real.
Maybe if we finish the job next time violence breaks out things will be different.
Unfortunately, that’s the tipping point that results in massive innocent suffering and deaths.
The only people who think that’s a good thing are the people who are lying to themselves about how bad it will be.
As opposed to continually being oppressed to the absolute limit?
Yeah. You have to be alive to be oppressed.
In most cases, when the violence reaches the point of complete destruction of the entire government, what rises to replace it is exponentially worse.