zlacker

>>mnm1+(OP)
Is there ever an instance of power being taken away from armed groups like police or military, in any country? I think it's very easy to grant power, and very hard to revoke. Also, what happens if the police departments refuse to accept the decision. I am not kidding, I read that there was a strike by San Francisco police in 1975 where the police refused to follow court orders and declared them "illegal".

>>enitih+0z
All of history is a slow march towards more equably distributed power. At least after the initial consolidation of power in, for example, the Roman Empire.

Specifically as to the military: My country's military went from worst-of-history to has-50-helicopters-but-none-that-fly in two big steps: First losing a hot war, then winning a cold one.

Plenty of countries have drastically reduced military spending after the Cold War ended. European police has also mostly avoided US-style militarisation. The UK Police used to hang petty criminals every second Tuesday. Nowadays, they don't even carry guns anymore.