Ruling Class in Early America

The roots of political strife between the "Haves" and "Have-Nots" were born long before the advent of today's political correctness. It always has been about monied interests and their influence over laws, taxes, and perceived tyranny against "the common man."

Take as example two actual rebellions in the early years of the United States:

A post-Revolution economic depression hit hard. Disproportionate property taxes, poll taxes that made voting unaffordable, harsh debt laws, unsympathetic judges, the high cost of pressing and defending law suits, and the lack of stable currency left people at the mercy of banks and merchants.

Samuel Adams, former Revolutionary agitator and now back in his role as an affluent businessman, argued for execution. “Rebellion against a king may be pardoned, or lightly punished,” he wrote, “but the man who dares to rebel against the laws of a republic ought to suffer death.”

Read about SHAYS'S REBELLION of 1786

Later in 1794 the federal government looked for any revenue source they could find. That included a tax on liquor. The large distilleries had well-established political connections, ensuring their taxes remained low – six cents a gallon (about a dollar in today’s money). Small distillers and farmers, however, had no such connections and had to pay a tax of nine cents for every gallon they produced.

To make an example of frontier farmers, George Washington led the largest army he had ever commanded to quell the tax protesters.

Read about THE WHISKEY REBELLION of 1794