The Library of Congress attributes the following to Professor Alexander Tyler, writing about democracy in the ancient Athenian pattern. It's amazingly relevant. [And I find it even more relevant today]."A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasury. From that moment on the majority always votes for candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury.... with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy is always followed by a dictatorship.
The average of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through the following sequence:
From bondage to spiritual faith--- from spiritual faith to great courage--- from courage to liberty---from liberty to abundance---from abundance to selfishness---from selfishness to complacency---from complacency to apathy--- from apathy to dependence--- from dependence back into bondage."
Two questions:
Does this show America today?
What sequence of the cycle do you see us in today?
Recall that Franklin quote when he was asked what type of government has been given to the United States of America:
"We have given you a Republic - if you can keep it."
What do you say, Fellow Patriots? Are we going to keep our Republic?
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1 comment:
"Two questions:
Does this show America today?"
Not really...although if you look at life one way, there is always cause for alarm.
"What sequence of the cycle do you see us in today?"
The "from abundance to selfishness" sequence seems about right.
"What do you say, Fellow Patriots? Are we going to keep our Republic?"
That's four questions, hostess!
Considering that Professor Tyler gives a democracy a life of about 200 years, and we've exceeded that limit, do you feel that collapse is inevitable?
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