They thought they could have a revolution without bloodshed. Little did they know that the elitists were ready go to extreme lengths to maintain their position of privilege. So, they found themselves in awkward position when the military seized power and asked these politicians to join them to administer the affairs of the state. Many in the progressive movement literally believed the provisions of the Liberian Constitution which gave the people the rights to peaceably assemble and petition their government for the redress of grievances. But beneath the facade of flowery words expressing our abiding commitment and adherence to democracy in our constitution and laws, our extolment of democratic virtues, Liberian authorities generally despise democracy.
Most Liberian officials think they are above the law.
Liberian establishment were mapping strategies for their return to power. From their perspective, Liberia is theirs - and theirs only. For many Americo-Liberians and their apologists, the military coup in 1980 which brought the African majority to power was an aberration, an unacceptable nuisance, which must be reversed at all costs. So they started to look at the options available to them. And to their surprise, there was conduit aplenty among which were elements of the progressive movement and a herd of compliant African-Liberians such as Tom Woewiyu and others, who were ready to supply their unsuspecting, illiterate brothers as guinea pigs for the cause of the Americos.