Truth in a high fantasy fiction book, "The Eagle and the Nightengale" Mercedes Lackey
Some might think this should be relegated to the fiction group, but I have been relistening to Ms Lackey’s Bardic Voices. The world is populated by humans, animals and several intelligent races.There are kings and the church which are joining together to increase their power.
In Chapter 9 there is a speech by T’ frere, a sentient giant raptor bird.
What this has to do with today’s situation is in his speech in chapter 9, Ms Lackey essentially outlines what the republicans have been doing since they invented wedge politics. The strategy of chipping off disparate groups and forming a unity adhered by their fear and hatred of others.
The big tent of the rPukes is filled with various groups who would turn against one another but for their hatred and fear being turned outward.
My favorite part of this speech is that when there is a conflict between 2 groups as we have today, there is always a 3rd group waiting in the wings to profit by taking over.
We can see this is things like the Russian revolution. The Bolsheviks were not the strongest force in the revolution, they were the ones who survived and took power.
It has always been like this throughout history.