The Democracy Papers: Paper Eight
The Dangers of Militant Division
In Federalist No. 8, Alexander Hamilton warned us about the risks of a disunited nation: the rise of standing armies, the erosion of liberty, and a society consumed by internal conflict. He couldn’t have predicted the exact shape of those dangers today, but the essence of his warning remains chillingly relevant. The standing armies he feared now take the form of militant groups like the Proud Boys, 3Percenters, and other far-right factions, armed to the teeth and dripping with disdain for democracy.
Fueled by disinformation and enabled by complicit leaders, these groups are a standing army in everything but name. Their growing presence doesn’t just threaten our safety—it endangers the very foundations of our republic.
A Nation at War with Itself
Hamilton warned that these unchecked rivalries would turn to militarization, draining resources and undermining liberty. Today that threat isn’t from state-sanctioned forces, it’s from armed factions who view their fellow Americans as enemies. These groups hide behind slogans about “freedom”, “defending the Second Amendment” and “America First”, but let’s be clear: what they really want is domination. A society where their ideology rules supreme, and dissent isn’t debated. It’s crushed.
The events of January 6, 2021 were a thousand red flags wildly waving. A mob of self-styled “patriots,” armed with delusions of a stolen election and unquenchable rage, stormed the Capitol in an unprecedented attack on our democracy. They weren’t soldiers in uniform, but they might didn’t need to be. Their goal was clear: to overthrow the will of the people through intimidation and brute force.
Now, as many of those attackers are released or have their sentences commuted, we’re left to grapple with the consequences of leniency. Just as the brownshirts of Nazi Germany used violence to intimidate and silence opposition, these groups seek to normalize their behavior and recruit others to their cause. Each concession, each slap on the wrist, emboldens them further.
The Erosion of Liberty
Hamilton was right to fear standing armies because they concentrate power and erode personal freedoms. Today’s armed fanatics do the same, not through legislation but through terror. When people are too afraid to express their opinions, vote freely or protest peacefully because of the threat of violence, liberty curls up and dies.
These groups threaten specific individuals as well as the democratic process itself. They harrass and threated election workers, spread lies to undermine faith in our institutions, and wield the Second Amendment as a weapon for their violent ambitions. Left unchecked, they will turn our great nation into a broken wasteland ruled by fear and repression.
Lessons from History
The parallels to Nazi Germany’s brownshirts are undeniably very real and very terrifying. In the years leading up to World War II, these paramilitary groups acted as the enforcers of fascism, using violence to silence opposition and pave the way for authoritarian rule. They didn’t disappear on their own, they evolved into the force that helped dismantle Germany’s democracy from within.
We’re watching the same playbook unfold today. Ignore these threats, and they will fester, grow and metastasize until it’s too late. History does not forgive those who fail to learn from it.
The Path Forward
So, what do we do? First, we name the threat. These groups are not protectors of freedom, they are its enemies. Second, we hold them accountable. Prosecute the perpetrators. Enforce domestic terrorism laws. Protect journalists, election workers, and everyday citizens from their intimidation tactics. Let’s meet them in the streets, calling out their lies and cowardice wherever they try to spread them.
That’s just step one of the plan. We need to dig deeper. Disinformation, economic inequality and a broken political system are the breeding grounds for this extremism. Hamilton understood that a united federal government was essential to prevent internal conflict. We need that unity more than ever to counter the forces that seek to tear us apart.
A Battle for Democracy
The road ahead will not be easy. It will not be short. It will not be without its casualties. We are facing a long and uphill battle, not just for personal safety, but for the soul of our nation. So, lace up your Chucks and grab your Stanleys, because no one is coming to save us. We need to save ourselves.