Facebook Nation, Facebook World

Previously by Ron Holland: Our Choice: State Secession or Washington DebtDepression

I'm using the term "Facebook Nation" to describe the growing power of individuals incorporating the internet and social media like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to effect political change.

I believe Mubarak's fall from power and tyranny is just the first of many victories which will be credited to freedom-loving people using the internet and social media to defeat corrupt, dictatorial and unrepresentative governments. This is individual human action at its best as described by Austrian economist, Ludwig von Mises.

We must wait and see if the power of the internet and freedom forces can also bring down his heir apparent, Omar Sulieman who is another Washington puppet or if an army coup will effectively take place. But in any case, these new tools for political and social change threaten the political, media and financial elites that have for so long controlled most nations and peoples without their consent or approval.

The successful use of social media and the internet to obtain political objectives and build organizational and fund-raising capability actually began with the Ron Paul for President Campaign in 2008. More recently it was utilized to some benefit by Iranian dissidents and later in Tunisia.

The battle is ongoing in Egypt but I suggest that this new people power movement in politics using electronic media will spread far from the Middle East. I see it threatening oligarchies and corrupt political elites from Africa, to Asia, China, Russia, Europe, South America and even to the United States.

Corrupt entrenched politicians and elites around the world had better take note and start now to remove centralized, bloated and overly indebted government out of our lives, pocketbooks and private affairs. Also the Republican and Democrat Party monopoly in the US had better take notice before it is too late.

A new freedom-oriented Facebook Nation political movement is coming to your country, state and region all because of the internet. No one can see the future but life will certainly be more difficult for power elites, special interests and political leaderships everywhere and this is a positive development for freedom around the world. For the first time in world history there is finally a somewhat level playing field between productive working citizens and political elites who rule over them and take too much of their wealth and liberties.

For lack of a better term, I'll call the new movement “Facebook Nation” until someone comes up with a better more descriptive name. The Daily Bell and the Foundation for the Advancement of Free-Market Thinking have been at the forefront of educating the public about our belief how the Internet is the most significant communications development since the invention of the Gutenberg press. Also net-based alternative news together with the communications and organizing benefits of internet social media may well create a movement and leap forward for liberty not observed since the Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation in the United States.

While the tide of history may be turning from big government and statist empires to individual freedom through individual human action right before our eyes, this will be a long war. I remember during the Ron Paul campaign in 2008, many of us wished we could have been real patriots fighting a real revolution like our patriot founding fathers back in 1776.

In hindsight, surprisingly, maybe we were and are.

The Best of Ron Holland