The Right of Revolution

[Anomalocaris]

Chuck, do we see a lot of instances in history where soldiers are averse to stabbing the mob? Could consult the oracle of youtube.

Yes, most recently in Egypt. There is no doubt Egyptian army could have smashed the protesters, but it declined to do so.

A little further back, in 1991, when senior Soviet conservatives staged a coup against Gorbachev, and called in the Soviet Army to Moscow to crush Yelsin's counter revolt, the vaughted Soviet Army declined to fire on its own civilian, and the coupe failed.

During the Tienamin massacre in Beijing in 1989, the communist government first called in the army group (38th mechanized army group) normally stationed near Beijing to come and crush the protest. The 38th army refused its orders. The communists then had to transfer the 14th mechanized army from half way across china to beijing to crush the protest. For a few days, the two mechanized armies deployed around Beijing as though they would engage in a tank battle against each other. Later, 2500 officers from the 38th army was court martialled.

So there are lots of occassions in history when the bayonnets of the autocracy declined to stab its citizens. Most of the time, it is only when a tyranny can't count on the unconditional fedelity of its bayonnets does the tyranny topple and fall. When the bayonnets of the tyranny remains loyal, the pitch forks of the populace is as nothing.

As a superficial observer You only see the soldiers stabbing the mob when they have no aversion to doing so. When they do have such an aversion you often see nothing because the tyranny often knows it, as Mubarik of Egypt did, and does not bring the matter to a head.