Let’s take a look at a few of the periods of turmoil and destruction and how Mormon describes the causes

Jacob

During this period the civilization was still mostly in it’s infancy with likely a smaller group of people. Problems and turmoil start to arise when some become richer than others and flaunt it with “costly apparel”.

Jacob 2:13 “that you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better than they.”

Costly apparel will show up in most of the times of turmoil and destruction as a sign of pride and evil. Modern equivalents would be anything that is bought to show off wealth or what economists call “conspicuous consumption. This would include expensive name brand clothing, expensive cars, and houses, exclusive clubs, etc.

Jacob says the antidote to this problem is to share your riches until they are as rich as you or in other words create equality through sharing:

Jacob 2:17 17 “Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.”

Alma-

A few hundred years later a prophet named Alma chronicled some times of peace and turmoil During times of peace riches and wealth were shared with all

Alma 1:30 And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need.

But a few years later turmoil came about because they started to use wealth as a way to increase inequality by refusing to share and hoarding the wealth for themselves

Alma 4:12 Yea, he saw great inequality among the people, some lifting themselves up with their pride, despising others, turning their backs upon the needy and the naked and those who were hungry, and those who were athirst, and those who were sick and afflicted.

Inequality of wealth is the root cause. During peace a properity those who are wealthy share with those who are not to create equality. During times of turmoil wealth is hoarded creating great inequality.

During the rest of the book of alma there is a long account of many of wars and blood shed that happens during this time of turmoil

Several Decades later the people begin to set the hearts on riches again:

Helaman- 3 Nephi

Helaman 3:36 “And it came to pass that the fifty and second year ended in peace also, save it were the exceedingly great pride which had gotten into the hearts of the people; and it was because of their exceedingly great riches and their prosperity in the land; and it did grow upon them from day to day.”

This would continue a dizzying cycle of prosperity and destruction that would repeat itself over and over again until Jesus visits the people in after his death.

Again much of the problem is inequality: Other sins are mentioned but inequality is especially singled out

Helaman 4:12 And it was because of the pride of their hearts, because of their exceeding riches, yea, it was because of their oppression to the poor, withholding their food from the hungry, withholding their clothing from the naked, and smiting their humble brethren upon the cheek, making a mock of that which was sacred, denying the spirit of prophecy and of revelation, murdering, plundering, lying, stealing, committing adultery, rising up in great contentions, and deserting away into the land of Nephi, among the Lamanites—

This inequality leads to the society separating into different classes which is always mentioned as a precursor to destruction

3 Nephi 6:12 And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning; yea, some were ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great learning because of their riches

Inequality is singled out again:

6:14 And thus there became a great inequality in all the land,

During this time period a prophet, Samuel,  is sent among the people to warn them about what will happen if they have their hearts set on riches

Helaman 13:21 “Behold ye, the people of this great city, and hearken unto my words; yea, hearken unto the words which the Lord saith; for behold, he saith that ye are cursed because of your riches, and also are your riches cursed because ye have set your hearts upon them, and have not hearkened unto the words of him who gave them unto you.”

Samuel mentions that their riches are cursed and will be taken from them

He says that the people will cry “Yea, we have hid up our treasures and they have slipped away from us, because of the curse of the land.” (Helaman 13:35)

4 Nephi- to the destruction at the end

Jesus visits the people and teaches them to live in equality this is always thought of as the high point in Book of Mormon civilization

4 Nephi 1:3 “And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift.”

Their righteousness led to a period of prolonged peace and happiness

4 Nephi 1:15 “And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.

16 And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.”

Then it all ended interestingly enough Mormon writes what they first signs of their downfall are:

Greed, seeking after riches, costly apparel, destroying equality and separating the people into classes:

4 Nephi 1:24 And now, in this two hundred and first year there began to be among them those who were lifted up in pride, such as the wearing of costly apparel, and all manner of fine pearls, and of the fine things of the world.

25 And from that time forth they did have their goods and their substance no more common among them.

26 And they began to be divided into classes; and they began to build up churches unto themselves to get gain, and began to deny the true church of Christ.

They never recover from this and this leads to a cycle of destruction that wipes the civilization from the earth. Mormon lives at the end of this period and chronicles it so that it can serve as a warning to us in our day.

Greed, seeking after riches, the buying of costly apparel or ways to flaunt your riches are all signs repeated over and over again. Yet I’m amazed at how often these things are completely forgotten among the people in our religion.

Greed and Pride are going to destroy us regardless of what political party is in power. The call for more unrestrained capitalism I fear is a call to hasten our destruction. We should be calling for more pure hearts. Hearts that have learned to share rather than to seek for more and more.

The political battle is in many ways a red herring and have lured many of you into thinking greed is good for the economy and thus good for all of us.