Today, his confirmation hearings were held in the US Senate. Pete Hegseth has warlike Scorpio rising with the Sun as the 10th lord in the Most Effective Point (MEP) of his 7th house, giving him authority. Moreover, with warlike 6th lord Mars in the MEP of his 10th house, he has a fighting spirit, especially in his career. During his opening remarks, Hegseth said that as Defense Secretary, he would bring back the "Warrior ethos" and support the "lethality" of the military and specifically the "warfighters." [1,2] This aroused great consternation among Democrat legislators, who uniformly pegged him as unqualified for the post. Hegseth, however, did not allow that to ruffle his feathers too much, with Republican Senators praising his performance. His confirmation is now considered likelier than before.
AMERICA'S SOCIAL EVOLUTION
In a path-breaking work, "Human Society, Vol. 2" (1959), P. R. Sarkar presented the Law of the Social Cycle, where he explained that nations move through ages, rising and falling in terms of ruling elites. Each elite is based on one of four traits rooted in human psychology, physical endowment, and social motivation. These are the Vipra (intellectual), Kshatriya (warrior), Vaishya (acquisitor), and Shudra (laborer). In his work "The Downfall of Capitalism and Communism: A New Study of History" (1978), Ravi Batra explained how Western Civilization, including the USA, has evolved according to this theory. Batra accurately predicted the downfall of Soviet Communism, which took place a bit sooner than he thought, while his call for the demise of capitalism and the emergence of a new Golden Age under the auspices of warriors has been slower in coming. Here is a brief overview:
THE INTELLECTUAL ERA
The New England colonies, particularly Massachusetts Bay and New Haven, were often described as theocracies in the 17th century. While clergy didn't directly run the political systems, the political and religious systems were closely intertwined. Leaders aimed to create a society based on Calvinist theology, where the Bible was the fundamental law. From the 1730s through the 1760s, influential preachers led to increased evangelical fervor and the formation of new denominations, such as Baptists and Methodists. However, this age was relatively short-lived, as a new class of acquisitors, the capitalists, soon took control of US society.
THE ERA OF CAPITALISM
The nascent shift towards a market-oriented economy took place with the emergence of small industries in the late 17th century. Slowly but surely, a capitalist class began to emerge in American colonial society during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. This period saw the rise of merchants, traders, and small-scale manufacturers who started to gain economic power, leading to political power. By the mid-18th century, this capitalist class had long eclipsed the theocratic leaders, notably in commercially active regions like the Middle Colonies and parts of New England. The growing influence of this class was further solidified by the economic changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution and the American Revolution. The capitalists in the USA became preeminent during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. A new age of industrial capitalism arose, marked by the growth of factories, the expansion of markets, and the development of new financial institutions.
However, with the rise of monopolies, inequality also became a recurring theme in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As a result, the U.S. experienced significant financial upheavals. Industrial giants like Standard Oil and U.S. Steel dominated their respective markets, leading to public outcry. This period has been referred to as the Gilded Age and the period of Robber Barons.
The Progressive Era (1890s-1920s) saw political efforts to curb these monopolies through antitrust laws and regulations. President Theodore Roosevelt, known for his "trust-busting" activities, played a crucial role in breaking up large monopolies and promoting fair competition. After World War I, the economic landscape shifted again. The brief economic boom was followed by the Great Depression, which led to further consolidation of industries.
By the late 20th century, many industries had evolved into oligopolies, where a few large firms controlled significant market shares. The concentration of economic power in these oligopolies contributed to growing inequality and recurring financial crises. The 2008 financial crisis, triggered by the collapse of the housing bubble and risky financial practices, led to a severe global recession. The aftermath saw the emergence of the Tea Party movement in 2009 and the Occupy Wall Street movement in 2010, protesting against economic inequality and corporate greed. Donald Trump's election in 2016 and re-election in 2024 can be seen as a response to these economic and social upheavals. His efforts to revitalize American manufacturing with higher-paying jobs and draining the swamp of establishment politicians who had collaborated with the exploitative oligopolies resonated with many disillusioned Americans. Not surprisingly, some view Trump as a reformer in the spirit of Theodore Roosevelt, aiming to challenge entrenched interests and bring about significant change. Interestingly, the first Progressive Era took place during the Sun (1896-1902) and Moon (1902-1912) periods.
DAWNING OF THE WARRIOR AGE
At a deeper level, the reformer Donald Trump may be unleashing greater changes to the USA than even he imagines. As Pete Hegseth's testimony reveals, there is a cultural shift taking place in the USA. It now appears to be inexorably headed for the rule of the warriors. An early sign of this is the growing chaos from capitalist exploitation as seen between 2009 and 2016, which the warriors excel at ending and restoring order. Another sign of this is the growing respect for military people, seen in terms of people now regularly thanking veterans for their service to defend the homeland and thereby protect the freedoms Americans enjoy. The brave warriors, unlike the intelligent intellectuals or the clever acquisitors, are known for their mastery of the physical domain. Warriors like to rule through their sheer strength and daring.
PREDICTION IN 2010
In the March 2010 article "Rise of U.S. Imperial Power," I noted the possible evolution of US society from an acquisitive to a warrior ethos during the Sun and Moon periods in the SAMVA USA chart.
"Parallels to our own time
As in the latter decades of the 19th century, the US has been suffering from significant social and economic problems during the recent periods of Ketu (1989-1996) and Venus (1996-2016). A predicted U.S. resurgence will likely take place in the coming Sun major period (2016-2022). This could involve a re-exertion of U.S. military power in the world or a significant push to expand the frontier of space.
Economist & Author Ravi Batra has written a fascinating book, The Golden New Age, predicting major political reforms in coming years to resolve the social malaise of inequalities and economic problems. He mentions the election year 2016, which coincides with the beginning of the forthcoming Sun period, as potentially important in this regard. He also suggests a historic shift in societal values from acquisitive to warrior like. In this regard we can think about the booming genre of action movies with super charged heroes and the growing respect for people in uniform. Should they be considered a harbinger of such a social transformation? If history is anything to go by, Batra may well prove right, although the extent or timing of such socio-political changes is uncertain."
In the December 2018 article "Horoscope of Donald Trump," comparisons were drawn to the historic figure of Julius Ceasar, who ended the rule of wealthy landowners in the Roman Republic, with his stepson, Octavian, cementing the new order that became the Roman Empire.
"POSTSCRIPT
Trump may be viewed with the lens of history - as presented in Ravi Batra's books The Downfall of Capitalism and Communism: A New Study of History (MacMillan, 1978) and The New Golden Age: The Coming Revolution against Political Corruption and Economic Chaos (St. Martins Press, 2007). Most people today admire Julius Caesar (100-44 BCE), who began the transformation of the Roman Republic into Roman Empire more than two millennia ago. During his time, Caesar got involved in a no holds barred battle with the "establishment" of land- and slave-owning Senators. The senatorial class had ruled Rome for centuries, but Roman society had increasingly become burdened by slave and peasant uprisings, due to the cruelty of the elite. The late Roman Republic period suffered from repeated 'Servile wars'. Caesar, who was an astute military commander, won the civil war and began to bring order to the lives of ordinary citizens. Caesar forgave those who opposed him and had survived the civil war. After Caesar declared himself dictator for life, the Senators conspired against and murdered him as he visited the Senate chambers. The murderers cited his betrayal of Republican values and traditions by becoming a "king". His adopted son, Octavian took revenge and cemented the transformation into Empire, giving birth to a line of rulers called Caesars. Importantly, Julius Caesar was far more controversial in his day than Trump is today. Caesar took steps that outraged the elite of his times by depriving them of power and becoming a ruler who made reforms favouring the ordinary citizens. Trump is now fighting to reform US politics, including reducing the access of the wealthy to legislators, that has given them unlimited profits, no matter the cost to the citizenry (Drain the Swamp). The US elite have been using their corporate media outlets, like CNN, CNBC, New York Times, Washington Post, etc., to undermine Trump's legitimacy. They find plenty to criticise in his personality, actions and expressions but try to avoid debating his policies substantively. Trump, born into the elite, like Caesar, has injected himself into the political arena while disturbing the cozy arrangement of the elite, just like Caesar did in his day. If Trump is impeached, it is unlikely his supporters will stand for it. Trump, himself, has suggested it is unlikely the Democrats will go that way, as it is likely to be met by a revolt of his supporters. While it is highly unlikely that some form of dictatorship is in the offing in the USA, it is possible that reforms that reduce the rampant political corruption await."Conclusion
As anticipated, the Sun and Moon major periods in the SAMVA USA chart have ushered in increased dynamism, accompanied by chaos linked to the battle between the reformers and the defenders of the capitalist system. Unless another severe financial crisis and economic depression occur, the USA's evolution is expected to be gradual. Over time, this should lead to a more centralized political system, with warriors at its nucleus, democratic processes, focusing on order, welfare, exploration, and the conquest of space, a possible new Golden Age.
