Awakenings

GPT

Major Historical Examples of Pro-Social Luminaries Awakening and Turning Against the Thing They Had Held Dear:

1. Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès and Napoleon Bonaparte
   • Initial Support: Sieyès, a revolutionary intellectual and one of the key figures of the French Revolution, initially supported Napoleon as a stabilizing force who could bring order to a fractured France. In 1799, Sieyès played a pivotal role in Napoleon’s rise to power during the coup of 18 Brumaire, believing that Napoleon would restore stability while upholding republican ideals.
   • Turn Against: Over time, as Napoleon consolidated power and declared himself Emperor in 1804, Sieyès became disillusioned. He grew critical of Napoleon’s authoritarianism, realizing that the emperor’s ambitions ran counter to the republican values Sieyès had championed. Eventually, Sieyès turned against the very system he had helped create, seeing it as a betrayal of the revolutionary ideals.
2. Martin Niemöller and Naziism
   • Initial Support: Martin Niemöller, a German Lutheran pastor, initially supported Adolf Hitler, believing that the Nazi regime could restore Germany’s stability after the turmoil of the Weimar Republic and the Treaty of Versailles.
   • Turn Against: As the Nazis’ true totalitarian nature became evident, Niemöller became one of the most prominent voices in resistance. He opposed the persecution of Jews and other marginalized groups, and his famous quote reflects his realization that the Nazis’ oppression would eventually extend to everyone, even those who initially supported them. Niemöller spent years in concentration camps due to his opposition to Hitler’s regime.
3. Karl Marx and the Soviet Union
   • Initial Support: Marx, the architect of modern socialism and communism, laid the theoretical foundations for a world free of class divisions. His ideas directly inspired the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia.
   • Turn Against: After the rise of Stalin in the Soviet Union, Marxist intellectuals, including Trotsky, became disillusioned with the authoritarian nature of the Soviet regime. Stalin’s policies and purges betrayed Marx’s vision of a free, classless society. While Marx himself did not live to see this, many of his followers saw the Soviet system as a perversion of his ideals.
4. Leon Trotsky and Stalinism
   • Initial Support: Trotsky was a leading figure in the Russian Revolution and supported the establishment of a socialist state. He was a close ally of Lenin and played a critical role in the success of the revolution.
   • Turn Against: After Lenin’s death, Trotsky became a bitter rival of Joseph Stalin, who consolidated power. Trotsky criticized Stalin’s bureaucratic, authoritarian approach to socialism, which he believed was a betrayal of the revolutionary ideals. He became a vocal opponent of Stalin and was ultimately exiled and assassinated by Stalin’s agents.
5. John Maynard Keynes and Economic Theory
   • Initial Support: Keynes, one of the most influential economists of the 20th century, supported the capitalist system but advocated for substantial government intervention, particularly during times of economic crisis.
   • Turn Against: Keynes became increasingly critical of unregulated capitalism after witnessing the Great Depression, which highlighted the systemic flaws in the economic system. He called for greater state involvement and reforms to prevent such crises from recurring. His evolution toward advocating for more government control and social programs marks his shift in perspective.
6. Theodor Adorno and the Frankfurt School's Response to Totalitarianism
   • Initial Support: Adorno, a member of the Frankfurt School, initially believed that intellectual and cultural movements could guide societies toward progress. His Marxist background encouraged him to work for social change.
   • Turn Against: In the wake of Nazi fascism and World War II, Adorno became deeply critical of both fascism and the failure of Marxist movements to adequately address totalitarianism. He became disillusioned with both the capitalist system and traditional Marxism, and he argued that enlightenment rationality itself had led to the horrors of the 20th century.
7. Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Nazi Regime
   • Initial Support: Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran pastor, initially believed in engaging with the Nazi regime in an attempt to reform the church and its relationship with the state.
   • Turn Against: As the Nazis’ policies became more oppressive, Bonhoeffer recognized the deep moral flaws of the regime. He became a vocal critic of Hitler and participated in resistance efforts, including a failed plot to assassinate the Führer. Bonhoeffer’s shift highlights his commitment to a higher moral and religious duty, which led him to oppose the very state he had once hoped to reform.
8. Victor Hugo and Napoleon III
   • Initial Support: Victor Hugo, the famous French writer, initially supported Napoleon III after his rise to power, seeing him as a figure who could bring stability to France.
   • Turn Against: Hugo soon grew disillusioned with Napoleon III’s authoritarian rule and policies. He became one of Napoleon III’s fiercest critics, going into exile and using his writing to condemn the regime. His turn against Napoleon reflects his commitment to republican ideals and his disillusionment with authoritarianism.
9. Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar
   • Initial Support: Aung San Suu Kyi became an international symbol of peaceful resistance against Myanmar’s military dictatorship. She was celebrated for her commitment to nonviolent change and human rights.
   • Turn Against: As Suu Kyi’s role in government grew, particularly after her party took power, she faced widespread criticism for her failure to condemn the military’s persecution of the Rohingya Muslim minority. Her inability to confront the military regime fully led to her transformation from a human rights icon to a controversial figure.