The Knot of Sovereignty

Sorry it’s been a while since the last post. I simply had nothing worthwhile to say.

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The West is beset by issues on all sides. Immigration, political radicalization, and declining birthrates are problems in every developed nation. Our elites seem unwilling to address any of these trends. At best we get vague promises and at worst, our leaders seem to lean into the decline.

We need a new elite. Our rulers have lost the creativity that allows them to take power in the first place. Now, they hold power but lack competence.

It is not only the rulers themselves, but the institutions they represent. These organizations have become lethargic and unresponsive. Despite soaring budgets and massive staff, organizations like the NHS, DOD, and FBI cannot achieve the ends they are designed to.

They are rulers but not sovereign. A sovereign according to Schmitt, is “ he who decides the exception.” It is difficult to tell who is the final authority in our current system. It is not Joe Biden.

This question of sovereignty matters when we are faced with issues that cannot be resolved within the normal channels. In that situation,

We naturally look for someone to decide. When no man volunteers, these problems will go unaddressed.

Our problems seem unsolvable. At the least, they are unsolvable within the existing order. However, there is a force outside of traditional politics, that can solve interminable problems: will.

The Gordian Knot is one of the most famous Greek myths. In this legend, the city of Gordium, located in modern-day Turkey, was without a ruler. A cart dedicated to Zeus, by the last ruler of the city stood in the throne room bound by mighty knot. This knot was so complicated that all who had attempted to untangle it had failed. According to prophecy, any man would unbound the rope would be crowned king of all Asia. Alexander the Great came to Gordium and heard of this prophecy and the great knot. He was able to solve the puzzle with a novel solution. He drew his sword and struck the Gordian Knot, cutting it in two and fulfilling the prophecy.

The meaning of this fable is clear. There are some problems so complicated that normal procedures can not resolve them. In this situation, the only path forward is for a great man to arise and solve the intractable problems we face through the force of will.

I am naturally skeptical, however, I see a true sovereign in the President of El Salvador Nayib Bekele.

Like many on the right, I have watched the rise of the El Salvadorian president Nayib Bekele with interest. He is different from other politicians. Some of this comes down to bearing. Bukele presents himself as the regal patriarch of his people. In the current moment, where the president of the Empire struggles to remember the difference between Mexico and Palestine, this would be enough to mark him out.

However more important than the optics, is how he rules. Much like Alexander, Nayib Bukele has cut through the Gordian knot and shown the West the only way to reverse the decline.

If you want a full history of Bukele, let me recommend this article by John Slaughter. He goes into more detail than I will.

El Salvador, home of the infamous MS13, has been gripped by violence for decades. A few years ago, it was the most dangerous nation in the world. Several cities were more violent than war zones like Syria or Afghanistan. This violence became the gordian knot of Salvadoran politics.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Nayib Bukele took control of the nation. His solution to the violence, much like the Macedonian, was direct. He imprisoned every gang member in the entire country without exception. This plan worked magnificently. He resolved the problem solely through the force of will

As of current writing, El Salvador has a lower murder rate than many US States ( my own included). The knot has been untied and the problem is solved. Bukele struck through the issue and resolved a seemingly impossible situation.

The issue of crime was unsolvable within the previous order. However, through the application of will he was able to cut through the not and solve a seemingly impossible issue.

In the West, our Bukele has yet to arrive. We have plenty of Gordian Knots, but no Alexander to cut through them. I hope that we don’t have to wait long for a sovereign.