Cults, Culture & Coercion with Dr. Steve Hassan Who Owns Democracy? The Real Deep State and The Struggle Over Class and Caste with Sociologist Charles Derber, PhD
Oct 7, 2024
Charles Derber, a Boston College Sociology professor and author of 28 influential books, dives into the complex narrative of American democracy. He discusses how historical injustices shape current socio-political dynamics and the interplay of class and caste. The conversation uncovers the deep state’s power, revealing how institutions like the CIA and military affect public voice. Derber emphasizes the critical role of grassroots activism and civic engagement in reclaiming democratic ideals amid systemic inequities and wealth influence.
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Triangular Deep State
- The authors define the deep state as a triangle of corporate power, the military-industrial complex, and upper civilian bureaucracy.
- This hidden community exerts disproportionate control without requiring a conspiracy narrative.
Founding Marriage Of Class And Caste
- The United States began as an uneasy marriage of a Northern capitalist deep state and a Southern caste-based deep state.
- That founding tension shaped long-term patterns of class, race, and political power in America.
Fascist Ghosts Persist
- Southern caste-based influences never vanished and acted as proto-fascist currents in U.S. politics.
- These 'fascist ghosts' help explain modern nativist and racialized politics, including elements of Trumpism.