Kinda trying to piece some ideas together here. If there's theory on this, please send it.
For example, the George Floyd protests were very violent by U.S. standards but we never got to the point of, say, a massacre on the White House lawn. Instead, it was mostly tear gas, police brutality, and the media apparatus quickly countering with propaganda.
If a movement can't be taken down with propaganda (i.e.; :vote: and it will all go away), then the state will need to use more brutal force to maintain itself, correct?
The US is the global hegemon, it dominates the world militarily, economically and culturally. That's why the US State can allow a higher level of freeze peach and academic freedoms (Chomsky boner), there really is no genuine threat internally or foreign that could bring down the US State. Every big budget Hollywood hit pretty much ensures the US cultural global dominance. That's why its ridiculous when libs and anarchists bitch when a country in the cross hairs of US imperialism does not allow the level of freeze speech as they want. The playing field is so unbalanced in favor of the US State.