Where do you think we are?

SouthernN'Proud

SouthernN'Proud

Southern Discomfort
Ran across this, which I had read before, but it got me thinking tonight.

"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 treasure. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most money from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's great civilizations has been two hundred 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 dependency, from dependency back to bondage." --Lord Alexander Tytler on the fall of the Athenian republic
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America has seen her bondage; we called them pilgrims.

America has seen her spiritual faith; we called them the founding fathers.

America has seen her great courage; we called them patriots and revolutionists.

America has seen her liberty; we called them Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe.

America has seen her abundance; we called it manifest destiny.

America has seen her dictator, mentioned previously in the quote; we called him lincoln.

America has seen her selfishness; we called it tariffs.

America has seen her complacency; we called it reconstruction, then the new deal.

America has seen her apathy; we called them hippies, draft dodgers, the me generation.

America has seen her dependency; we call it social security, welfare, entitlements. Sometimes we call it racism; other times we call it reverse racism. We also call it political correctness.

Doesn't leave much, huh?
 
Gato_Solo

Gato_Solo

Out-freaking-standing OTC member
The reason we've lasted this long is because we are not a Democracy. The US is a Republic. We have the trappings of a Democracy, but, when the rules are actually followed (Constitution), we are a Republic.
 
SouthernN'Proud

SouthernN'Proud

Southern Discomfort
So 8 replies, and 1 dealing with the topic. In case no one has noticed, I really don't care if another living soul agrees with my comments, but I would like some intelligent reply about the original quote. Note the word intelligent, which rules out certain anonymous non-specified candidates.
 
spike

spike

New Member
It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasure.
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Like those $400 or so checks Bush gave everyone for voting for him. Some people are cheap.
 
Luis G

Luis G

<i><b>Problemator</b></i>
Staff member
The US is at the moment of arrogance and self-confidence. It matches the attitude of past empires while in decadence.
 
unclehobart

unclehobart

New Member
Sheer human momentum. Those that are hungry and have nothing pioneer, tighten their belts, make something out of nothing, their children are grown into a world of sacrifice and thrift and learn lessons... but start making extra cash of their own to have a better life. They say 'my child will not suffer want like I did'. They spoil the child and the child grows up expecting everything to be laid at their feet. The following generation is taught nothing and falls into poverty all over again.

There is a old Viet proverb that says 'a family is only rich for three generations and only poor for three generations'.
 
2minkey

2minkey

bootlicker
SouthernN'Proud said:
I'll assume by "driving that cycle" you mean the course of events it describes?
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yup. let's see...

selfishness.... check.
complacency... check.
apathy... maybe not exactly but perhaps its structural equivalent through ignorance, so... check
dependency... yup...
 
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