Today's Republicans could learn...

...a thing or two from Otto von Bismarck, the first chancellor of a united Germany.

A wealthy Prussian aristocrat, Bismarck was the founder of the modern welfare state. In 1884, Bismarck declared:

The real grievance of the worker is the insecurity of his existence; he is not sure that he will always have work, he is not sure that he will always be healthy, and he foresees that he will one day be old and unfit to work. If he falls into poverty, even if only through a prolonged illness, he is then completely helpless, left to his own devices, and society does not currently recognize any real obligation towards him beyond the usual help for the poor, even if he has been working all the time ever so faithfully and diligently. The usual help for the poor, however, leaves a lot to be desired, especially in large cities, where it is very much worse than in the country.

The chancellor then went on to introduce a program which included health insurance, accident insurance, disability insurance and a retirement pension. (An immediate result was a dramatic decrease in emigration to America.)

While Bismarck had several motives behind his actions (heading off socialism was just one), he understood that to make German unification work he had to give the average person a reason to "buy-in" to the system. Otherwise, what would be "in it" for the typical German worker, farmer or tradesman? Among his many other reasons, Bismarck wanted to communicate the message that "There's something in it for you."

I'm reminded of this by Tom Friedman's column in the Times this morning, "This Is Just the Start," in which he explains how the unrest in the Middle East stems mainly from a lack of "buy-in" by the citizenry. Friedman quotes an imaginary Arab looking at President Obama:

“Hmmm, let’s see. He’s young. I’m young. He’s dark-skinned. I’m dark-skinned. His middle name is Hussein. My name is Hussein. His grandfather is a Muslim. My grandfather is a Muslim. He is president of the United States. And I’m an unemployed young Arab with no vote and no voice in my future.” 

Friedman also mentions:

A big issue in Bahrain, particularly among Shiite men who want to get married and build homes, is the unequal distribution of land. 

I'll let you read the rest of the piece, but my bottom line is this: If Republicans are intent on crushing the middle class in America, they had better prepare for discontent. Because if the average person doesn't see the system working for him anymore, he won't have "buy-in."

Like Bismarck, you've got to "give" people something to keep them on board. And Republicans could start by allowing unions in Wisconsin to keep collective bargaining.

Don't worry, Koch brothers, your lifestyle won't suffer.