Please Help Me Ruin Wealthy Aristocrats Socially and Financially With Just Words.

Hi, everyone.
Thank you for reading my post. Can anybody point me to a resource that can supply me with multiple ways to destroy a wealthy family or career using words alone; and never any physical altercations?
I am writing a fantasy piece and it is heavy on governmental, community and domestic politics in multi-generational households.

I did research episodes like Water-Gate and the Lewinsky-Clinton scandals, but I know there have to be endless ways to accomplish this.
I wish to contrast how when a domestic resident throws a tantrum, dinner is burned; but when a viceroy throws the same tantrum, half of the population revolts, foreign policy fails and all trade stops, and suddenly there emerges an unavoidable war which devastates the treasury.

The above are good examples but I know that there have to be more ways. So, I guess that I am asking more than one question.

I am not ashamed to admit that I don't know everything, which is why I ask.

Parametric said:

There must be a TV Tropes index for these tropes.

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Thanks guys.
I am working at something off-line while I post.
Thanks.

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Parametric said:

There must be a TV Tropes index for these tropes.

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Please, explain with further info.

My thanks to you, mirandashell.

King Neptune said:

Which kind of ruined do you want to do? All sorts of damage can be done with a borrowed name and a few purchased passwords. The security software and monitoring companies that steal data to prove how vulnerable the data is soemimes sell spare copies to third parties. No physical attack, just few keystrokes.

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Thank you, king neptune. Mirandashell's info has been keeping me busy.
I like what you just wrote. But, FYI, I am writing a fantasy from an outline heavy on the world building and cultural setting.
So, please rephrase without the computer language.

Roxxsmom said:

That still sounds pretty modern. Approximately what era is your fantasy society analogous to, EL?

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Thank you, Roxxsmom.
It is about in the renaissance period.

Kaidonni said:

To expand on these - OP, what sort of magic is possible in your fantasy world? Shapeshifting, illusions and potions instantly come to mind as fantastical ways of committing fraud, fooling people and influencing behaviour.

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Interesting concepts, Kaidonni.
Thank you for your input!

To Kaidonni and to everyone else, just so that I don't misunderstand.
So, you are saying that to combine the parish records scenario with shape-shifting, simply have a member of the enemy camp assume the identity of the priest and then falsify the records or even act as an impostor and officiate at the baptism?

Or, the patriarch secretly has abysmal debt but to make matters worse he is about to discover that his bookie is an impostor from the enemy camp who removed "the real bookie" from the picture years ago?

Please show me other directions in which this could go.

danatcsimpson said:

Full disclosure: I'm a bookkeeper in my 'Real Job' so money troubles are where my mind goes.

Pros: these can be absolute DISASTERS for a ruling family and their people without a single fist flying. Cons: it's hard to make accounting interesting. The Traitor Baru Cormorant pulled this off really well, I recommend it for the sneakiness of the politicking and fantasy economics. GoT also has it running as a subplot, with the Westerosi government hopelessly in debt to the Iron Bank of Braavos.

Goofy speculation like the Dutch Tulip Mania could tank a family and make them look like idiots. Collusion or perceived collusion with an enemy power would ruin them socially, and financially if the government seizes their assets. See internment of Japanese Americans during WWII. Massive gambling debts were mentioned upthread, those are good.

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I purchased The Traitor Baru Cormorant after reading Amal El Mohtar's visceral, yet, understated review of the plot for NPR books' review.

The first lines hooked me!

Filigree said:

Read Scott Lynch's 'Locke Lamora' books. Plenty of well-applied and disastrous words and sneakiness there, as well as action.

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I have committed to purchasing the Locke Lamora books Filigree.

Glyax said:

If you are looking on times when the masses have been incited, look at The French Revolution (the rich were ruined before the revolt haha), also read up on Machievelli (sp?) for some fun. Also, you could look at how words were used for the Arab Spring.

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Great information, everyone!
I find it interesting that, at least, some, among the progressive youth among these embattled political demographics, think that there is a "Turkish Ideal."

I.e., according to wikipedia:
Some protesters looked to the Turkish model as an ideal (contested but peaceful elections, fast-growing but liberal economy, secular constitution but Islamist government).

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The Arab Spring is a great summation of political instability and social breakdowns that will forever ensure that there will always be conflict to keep the reading public swimming in blood shed.