Identify your class period
choose
"tom laid five cents on the tab "prompt: write
a short response explaining what this statement implies about
tom. *
your answer
send me a copy of my responses.

overnment is strong when they have the ability to persuade those they govern to believe government has enough power to force them or should be forcing them to do government’s will.

when enough of the citizenry do not believe government can force them or should force them to do its bidding, government has lost or will lose its strength and power to coerce.

when enough of the citizenry do believe government can force or should force them to do its bidding, they become passive at the least or actively pro-government and repeat government’s own rhetoric to pass on what they have been persuaded by government’s propaganda.

a true majority isn’t always needed to govern or to stop government. many times all that is needed is a strong minority. if a determined 30% of the population rises up against government in a concerted effort to bring it down, this size minority usually will succeed as long as those actively opposing the minority are less in force than the minority. so if 41% of the population sits at home watching tv rooting for one side or the other, they don’t matter. it’s the active parties who make a difference.

cassius, casca, and their allies plant false documents to manipulate brutus to join their cause to remove caesar. after doing so, they visit brutus at night in his home to persuade him of their views. there they plan caesar's death. brutus is troubled but refuses to confide in his devoted wife, portia. on 15 march, caesar's wife, calpurnia, urges him not to go to the senate. she has had visionary dreams and fears the portents of the overnight storms.