Which of the following quotes from “the devil and tom walker” represents a historical fact that the author has woven into the narrative?

“the [tree] on which he had been seated, and which evidently had just been hewn down, bore the name of crowninshield: and he recollected a mighty rich man of that name, who made a vulgar display of wealth, which it was whispered he had acquired by buccaneering.”

“the . . man told him of great sums of money buried by kidd the pirate, under the oak trees on the high ridge, not far from the morass. all these were under his command, and protected by his power, so that none could find them but such as propitiated his favor.”

“the country had been deluged with government bills; the famous land bank had been established; there had been a rage for speculating; the people had run mad with schemes for new settlements, for building cities in the wilderness.”

beginner

government 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.