Anniversaries: (1) October 31: the 500th anniversary of Luther's 95 theses. (2) October 25: the 100th anniversary of Lenin's Bolshevik revolution against the democratic Russian revolutionary government.
You should do a little reading before the two dates arrive. Start here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninety-five_Theses
These were the two most successful pamphleteers in history. Luther was the first person to use the printing press to create what he initially wanted to be a reform. It turned into a revolution. Without the media, he would have failed.
Lenin was the master of the pamphlet. He built his reputation for 20 years before the October revolution.
Think of both revolutions in terms of the power of ideas. These ideas really did have consequences.
Think also in terms of the risks taken by both men. They put their lives on the line.
Ideas without personal risks don't change much. There isn't enough at stake. Men will not sacrifice their lives for risk-free ideas.
Then there is the issue of protection. A German prince protected Luther from the Catholic Church and from the Spanish Emperor. For him, Luther's liberty was a matter of his own political sovereignty. It worked. German princes who backed Luther added to their sovereignty. German military officers sent Lenin to Finland, right next door to Russia, in a sealed train. For them, he was a long-shot wartime agitator. It worked. He took Russia out of the war.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Today, there is no Luther. There is no Lenin. There is massive decentralization. There is noise. The establishments around the world are on the defensive. There are critics everywhere. The public's confidence is fading.
Problem: you can't beat something with nothing. Establishments maintain power by default.
But what happens when their checks bounce?
Opportunities galore!
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