If 8.1 billion people marched on a government, even with a full array of advanced and nuclear weapons in their arsenal, would they still definitely lose? What about one billion? A hundred million? Ten million? Where do you think the line is?

Caveat: The government does want to be able to live on earth again within their lifetimes, but can spend up to a year in bunkers, and the military doesn’t revolt- given that nuclear weapons can be deployed by one person, the worst option doesn’t even really require the military’s cooperation.

  • idiomaddict@lemmy.worldOP
    3·
    3 days ago

    The populace will eventually win a war of attrition if we stipulate that the world has to be livable afterwards, so you can’t just agent orange the globe.

    I’m just wondering if there is a critical mass for a mob, basically, at which point it overpowers even the US military. I think it’s somewhere in the millions or tens of millions, but I have no idea how to narrow it down more.

    • Poojabber@lemmy.world
      2·
      3 days ago

      There is no amount of civilians that beat the US military. You could gather 100% of the “ive got guns to fight the government” crowd, and they wouldnt do shit against tanks, helicopters, and jets… a mob is going to die unless there is an insurrection in the ranks of the people who control the equipment.