Versions of the same drama, in which upstarts successfully take on those who believe themselves entitled to lord it over everybody else, are being staged in many parts of the world where ordinary folk feel they are getting a raw deal.
When faced by an utterly ruthless movement, half-measures that allow a battered enemy to recover from his wounds and strike again can be worse than useless. This is the dilemma facing Israel today.
Unfortunately for Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, and for the movement that sprung up around her, almost all her acolytes are minor figures, as are most of her allies.
Much of the population is in a very angry mood. Unless the authorities do more to deter criminals, many more politicians could get roughed up whenever they venture into unfriendly territory.