Red-state conservative, smiling optimistically: We just need to persuade people in the market place of ideas!
Blue-state conservative with a thousand yard stare: [Takes a long drag on a cigarette] So the first thing we need to do is kill everyone.
You can read Burnham, Pareto, Yarvin, or Schmitt if you'd like. But in reality politics comes down to a single relationship.
The relationship between a Patron and his clients.
Reward your clients and they will march through the streets for you and wreak havoc for your enemies.
Spurn your clients and you might end up on the wrong end of 30 years to life.
Which path will you choose?