I ran across this opinion piece that introduced to me the concept of two types of elites: lions and foxes.
https://www.theblaze.com/columns/opinion/the-progressive-elites-downfall-foxes-failed-to-become-lions
The punchline is this:
“Lions typically rule through hierarchical structures and strategic applications of force, maintaining stability through a sense of duty and order. In contrast, foxes rely on deception and social engineering to achieve their ends. When either group dominates for too long without the other’s influence, societies risk stagnation, corruption, or collapse.”
Feel free to go to the article and follow it to the original political scientist who postulated this. Recognizing that this is a very high level treatment of the subject, let me bring my own spin to this.
Elsewhere I have also come across the idea that the current political moment is not between right and left, not between Democrats and Republicans. The divide is between those who think the system as it is exists today is more or less groovy, and those who think it stinks to some greater or lesser extent.
Which ties into the concept of the Uniparty. Viewed as two roughly identical groups of foxes that wear different clothes. Deception and social engineering were very much in play for decades on both sides of the aisle. Potential lions are shut out, and the governing elite begins to fail to deliver. Which is what happens when there are only foxes.
Then along comes a lion. Which, according to this theory, we sorely needed. And the lion forces a new alignment, which is clearly happening.
Foxes breed corruption and self dealing, lions breed autocracy and stasis. Which is why we need both. Which is why there is some truth to the “Trump is (name your dictator) and a threat to democracy”!!! Trump is a lion, and left alone too long you could have a problem. But he is surrounded by foxes, and he is only bringing needed balance. He won’t be around long enough to consolidate power to that extent. As such, I’m all in with our time of the lion.
The Chinese have an expression that recognizes the dilemma. “When the tiger comes down from the mountain, it is bullied by the dogs”. Or foxes, as the case may be. In a functioning political system, the lions and the foxes are in rough balance and eternally in competition/conflict. That’s as it should be. And maybe, just maybe, what we will have. At least for a time.
Of course, a lion and fox argument is loud and disorderly. Buckle up and grab the popcorn. The show has started. For now I am rooting for the lion. The time of the fox will come again in due time.
But it is not this day.