Guelfs and Tories, Wolves and Plunderers

I traced the term "Guelf" to the German word "Wolf". There are two moods of government. In one government needs it's citizens and serves them, paying attention to such terms as commonwealth, fairness, justice, duty, honor and virtue. But in the other you have government as Predator State1. In his article in Mother Jones Galbraith refers to the characteristics of the Predator state:

"Predation has become the dominant feature—a system wherein the rich have come to feast on decaying systems built for the middle class."...."in a predatory regime, nothing is done for public reasons. Indeed, the men in charge do not recognize that “public purposes” exist. They have friends, and enemies, and as for the rest—we’re the prey. Hurricane Katrina illustrated this perfectly, as Halliburton scooped up contracts and Bush hamstrung Kathleen Blanco, the Democratic governor of Louisiana. The population of New Orleans was, at best, an afterthought; once dispersed, it was quickly forgotten." [Mother Jones Article]

So the predatory state is the state in the image of the "Guelf" faction, the wolf. It employs Tory economics and a Tory Sensibility about economics. Leading to the amazing phenomena of politicians attacking Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution while practicing social Darwinism. The Public arguments serve private ends. After Katrina, predators made sure that the poor living in New Orleans could not return to their homes, and used reconstruction of the city as an excuse to privatize the school system.

Tory Plunder

A Tory Apologist will derive the word "Tory" from the Gaellic "Taobh" --> "Tu" + ree = Tory, as equaling the "King Side". And that is how the Tories have always seen themselves. But of course their behavior as Royalists and Aristocrats is to seek plunder:

"1566, "an outlaw," specifically "one of a class of Irish robbers noted for outrages and savage cruelty," from Irish toruighe "plunderer," originally "pursuer, searcher," from Old Irish toirighim "I pursue," [money/power] from toir "pursuit," from Celtic *to-wo-ret- "a running up to," from PIE root *ret- "to run, roll" (see rotary)." [Def]

So Tories, plunder, pursue their enemies, and who do they pursue "Righims" -- Whigs, prey, robbery. The two are congruent. And the behavior marks folks like George Bush as Tories. It's a tradition. Even in the USA. Tories are wolves, Predators.

Tory = Party of Authority

Or in the case of the United States as on the Side of Authority; the President (when of their party) and the "rightful president" when the President is an opponent; hence the vicious attacks on non "Conservative"/Tory Presidents by modern Republicans as illegitimate reflect this focus on God, King/President, and Loot.

American Tories

The first use of the word "Whig" for a party in the United States was by Henry Clay in opposition to Andrew Jackson who Clay saw as a predator, "filibusterer" and scoundrel. Andrew Jackson had been the hero of New Orleans. But he'd also invaded and conquered Florida despite the USA not being at war with the Spanish who previously ruled it. The Term Whig Stuck. Andrew Jackson for his own part claimed to be a democrat and had a lot of popular support for his kingship. The so-called "Whig Party" would lose it's fortune as it went to it's own "fearless leaders" for Presidents. What I've learned from history is that people who call themselves Whigs can be every bit as much of the Tory spirit as their enemy Tories. What matters is whether the Governing folks act like Predators or Worms (joke). We are fighting folks with a Tory spirit; Modern Wolves. The spirit of the Guelfs lives on.

Rebranding as Conservatives and Fascists

Tories would later rebrand themselves as Conservatives. Their spirit would take over the both the Republican party and the Democrats in turn. The Guelfs were strong in Milan. They would disappear for a time, but they resurfaced as "Fascistas", in Milan Italy, under Mussolini in the 20th century.

Sources and Further Readings

1. Mother Jones Article "The Predator State

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2006/05/predator-state

Tory Definition:

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Tory

The math of Money:

http://www.thetwofacesofmoney.com/files/money.pdf

For an example of how Plundering works from Rolling Stone:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/secret-and-lies-of-the-bailout-20130104?page=2

Tories