Psychoeconomics: globalization, markets, crisis - стр. 41

– Suppression of dissent by mass executions, and through the work of the Inquisition. The year 1022 saw the first mass execution of heretics in Orleans, and in 1165, the Cathar heresy was suppressed. Bogomil Vasilii was burned at the stake in 1111. In 1233, an inquisition was created to fight heresy in Languedoc. That is, together with the organization of the Crusades, the rebellious activity of potential enemies of the existing elite in certain countries was suppressed. But the struggle against heresy began with particular barbarity after the depletion of ability of the Crusades to lower the level of social unrest and before the shift of the activity of the strongest and most active individuals to conquering America, to trade with distant countries, with possibility of economic and social advance of the strong and capable under capitalism. Jan Hus was burned at the stake in 1415, and Joan of Arc was immolated in 1431. Witchcraft trials occurred in 1442. The Spanish Inquisition began active persecutions in 1481.

– Rapid unification of countries and consolidation of the elites into a single, more powerful state against protest-inclined people began. Hence in France the period of feudal disunity came to an end under the rule of Louis XI (1461-1483). During the Burgundian Wars, Burgundy united with France. Spain was unified (1469) bloodlessly, through matrimonial alliances. In this period the Habsburg dynasty led the unification of Austria, Germany, Bohemia, and Hungary (1438, Albrecht V). The elite quickly found ways to unify themselves in the face of the danger of revolts and its overthrow..

During a period of development of capitalism and relative democracy, satisfaction of the ambitions of the strong and venturesome began to occur more thanks to the natural rivalry between people. Strong and capable people naturally occupied the highest economic and social positions in the society. The social structure came into congruence with the social-psychological one.

History teaches us that if the government and the elite cannot attain a social order that would bring the social and sociopsychological structure of the society into harmony (stronger, smarter, more capable individuals occupy higher places in the social hierarchy), they are swept away and replaced by others. There’s no other choice.

Either mass executions and mass repression with obligatory excommunication of the strongest, most ambitious of their immediate social environment were needed, or else the social environment will react to those signs of power that provide evidence of who the actual leader is. This is an innate system of reactions and reflexes. It is analogous to similar reflexes in a herd of animals that acknowledge the right to leadership of the strongest. This reflex cannot be reformed. It is either necessary to step forth and hand over part of the power to the stronger and more capable, the more assertive, or else be dethroned.