The following are excerpts from an article that appeared late yesterday on The Oil Drum Blog titled ‘Coming Chaos? Maybe Not’.  In that article the author discusses the likelihood of social breakdowns and violence during the demise of the petroleum economy.

“A sizable subset of what some on this site call “doomers” are convinced that the demise of the petroleum economy will bring social breakdown and a violent struggle of all against all. Some are even preparing for the chaos to come. I’m convinced we have to take end-of-affluence scenarios, including the scarier ones, seriously.”

“The financial crisis and world recession/depression won’t be turned around by a few hundred billion dollars for the bankers, and “restarting growth” is little more than a recipe for widening the gap between the economy and the real, physical limitations of the planet.”

I question the narrowness of the focus on the ‘petroleum economy’ and the possible biases he brings to the table – read his background as set out in the article.  However, I consider the comments in the article far-reaching enough to be worthwhile reading in the context of any serious disruption to the world social order as we have known it for the past several decades.  While I have no way of forecasting the social disorder that might arise in times of serious economic disruption in the developed countries (read the U.S., Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia, Japan, etc.), I suspect they could be of real concern.  I also think they might all be somewhat different and ‘more or less serious’ based on differing cultural beliefs and behaviors.  Having said that, I do believe that people will react angrily to any material reduction in their personal lifestyles.  In a Post on this Blog I made on November 25 I recounted the following story I made up for my sons when they were young that I refer to as the ‘Pygmy Story’.  You can read my entire Post in context by clicking here.

“An explorer in deepest Africa chanced upon a tribe of 30 pygmies. They were happy little people, with lots to eat and drink from their hunting, fishing and ‘honey finding’ activities. The Explorer decided to live with them for a few days. On the 2nd day he was with them he called them to the center of their village at 12:00 noon and gave them each a chocolate bar – something they had never had. He did this on successive days until he ran out of chocolate bars. The explorer made a fatal mistake. The pygmies were cannibals, and the day the Explorer ran out of chocolate bars the pygmies ate him instead.”

The moral of the story obviously is: ‘you can’t take things away from people that they have and leave them happy’. No one who has enjoyed our U.S./Canada ‘North American advantages’ over the past many years is going to be happy if their standard of living is seriously reduced – or even reduced somewhat for that matter. The question I am asking myself is: ‘What would such a circumstance mean with respect to crime rates, personal safety, etc., etc.”

I suggest you visit the Oil Drum article and read it by clicking here.  I think a number of the comments on the article also are worth reading.

The views expressed in this Post are those of the author. They are offered to readers for information and general guidance only. They are neither intended to, nor should be taken to, constitute economic or investment advice. No check of data underlying articles or comments referenced herein has been made, and no responsibility is taken for them.  See Legal Disclaimer.

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