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To rephrase a famous quotation;”He who ignores history courts disaster”.

It is obvious that no one in Washington has ever paid attention to the potential consequences of their bullheaded brinkmanship. The extreme wings of both the Republican and Democrat parties would destroy the nation rather than seek a course that could be tolerable for all.

The Tea Partyers will not are so adamant on the abolishing of Obamacare, passing Anti-abortion legislation, no gun controls, and State rights over Federal Government that they would stall any budget or debt legislation.

On the other hand the socialistic liberal wing of the Democrats would extend government control of all everyday life, including more entitlements. One of their solutions to the increasing need for money is to keep raising the debt limit each time it is ready to be breached.

Our politicians attempt to stay in power by today’s equivalent of “bread and circuses”;** entitlements and patronage.

But the purpose of this essay is not to go over the fiscal changes needed but rather to point out at least two incidents in history where two unyielding factions have caused traumatic upheaval to a nation.

At the end of the 2^nd Century BC in Rome the population had really split into two distinct groups; the well to do or Oligarchy and the poorer or Plebeians which included a large landless group of new Roman citizens.

Rome was not a Democracy but a Republic. The Senate which appointed the two co-rulers or Consuls for one year was made up of former political officials.

On the other hand the Tribunes who had a sort of veto power were elected under a sort of ward system.

There were reformers such as the Gracchi Brothers who as Tribunes tried to initiate redistribution of land.

To get the masses behind them they resorted to entertainment the free circuses and to increasing entitlements; free bread.

The Oligarchy’s reaction to preserve what was to them their fundamental (and gods given) rights that they resorted to assassinating both brothers at different times.

After about 40 years of civil strife, the Roman Senate appointed as temporary dictator, Sulla, one of the two elected Consuls. Although Sulla after ending the Social Wars relinquished his sole power this action paved the way for lessening the Senate’s authority and paved the way for the Dictatorship of Caesar and ultimately the establishment of the Emperors.

Most believe that the question of slavery was the cause for our Civil War.  The issue was greater than that. It was twofold; State or Federal rights and economics.

In the 1840s and 50s Congress had passed tariff laws to help protect the industrial north. Those laws were a burden to the Cotton Growers who became victims of retaliatory action by other countries.

Cotton was a labor intensive low profit enterprise. Cheap labor was a requirement and the growers fought to preserve it. Slavery had been outlawed in many states and near wars were fought over it in the admission of new states such as Kansas, Nebraska and also when Texas and California were admitted. In these instances there were compromise, some permitting slavery the others against it.

Although the European nations had finally made slavery trade illegal even at the 1860 elections when Lincoln became President; abolition was not an electoral issue. The bigger issue had been if the practice would be allowed in the new states.

Cotton growing was not only a labor intensive crop but over years it depleted the soil so the growers wanted new land; go west young man.  

Once again the non-yielding State's Righters and the Northern Liberals were at such loggerheads that the South felt it was being discriminated. It was Lincoln’s election in which he did not win a single Southern Cotton Growing state that lead to South Carolina’s secession.

**Bread and Circuses;This phrase originates from Rome in Satire X of the Roman satirist and poet Juvenal (circa A.D. 100). In context, the Latin metaphor panem et circenses (bread and circuses) identifies the only remaining cares of a new Roman populace which cares not for its historical birthright of political involvement.

Roman politicians devised a plan in 140 B.C. to win the votes of these new citizens: giving out cheap food and entertainment, "bread and circuses", would be the most effective way to rise to power.

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"Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses^"

Juvenal here makes reference to the Roman practice of providing free wheat to Roman citizens as well as costly circus games and other forms of entertainment as a means of gaining political power. The Annona (grain dole) was begun under the instigation of the popularis politician Gaius Sempronius Gracchus in 123 B.C.; it remained an object of political contention until it was taken under the control of the autocratic Roman emperors.(Wikipedia)

Note that I have made some slight changes for simplicity's sake in historical explanation.