Revolutions come in waves and cycles. We are again riding the crest of a
revolutionary epic, much like 1848 or 1917, from the Arab Spring to
movements against austerity in Greece to the Occupy movement. In Wages
of Rebellion, Chris Hedges--who has chronicled the malaise and sickness
of a society in terminal moral decline in his books Empire of Illusion
and Death of the Liberal Class--investigates what social and
psychological factors cause revolution, rebellion, and resistance.
Drawing on an ambitious overview of prominent philosophers, historians,
and literary figures he shows not only the harbingers of a coming crisis
but also the nascent seeds of rebellion. Hedges' message is clear:
popular uprisings in the United States and around the world are
inevitable in the face of environmental destruction and wealth
polarization.
Focusing on the stories of rebels from around the world and throughout
history, Hedges investigates what it takes to be a rebel in modern
times. Utilizing the work of Reinhold Niebuhr, Hedges describes the
motivation that guides the actions of rebels as "sublime madness"--the
state of passion that causes the rebel to engage in an unavailing fight
against overwhelmingly powerful and oppressive forces. For Hedges,
resistance is carried out not for its success, but as a moral imperative
that affirms life. Those who rise up against the odds will be those
endowed with this "sublime madness."
From South African activists who dedicated their lives to ending
apartheid, to contemporary anti-fracking protests in Alberta, Canada, to
whistleblowers in pursuit of transparency, Wages of Rebellion shows
the cost of a life committed to speaking the truth and demanding
justice. Hedges has penned an indispensable guide to rebellion.
