Life Cycle Of A Democracy

Drew263Drew263 Birmingham, AL Posts: 602
edited November 2008 in A Moving Train
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largess from the public treasury. From that time on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the results that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's great civilizations has been 200 years.
These nations have progressed through this 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.
-- Alexander Fraser Tytler (1742-1813)


This passage reminds me of the Moving Train. We're right at the dependency stage.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • saveuplifesaveuplife Posts: 1,173
    Drew263 wrote:
    A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largess from the public treasury. From that time on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the results that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's great civilizations has been 200 years.
    These nations have progressed through this 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.
    -- Alexander Fraser Tytler (1742-1813)


    This passage reminds me of the Moving Train. We're right at the dependency stage.


    Great quote.
  • meisteredermeistereder Posts: 1,577
    According to Snopes, this quote is likely not attributable to Tytler. If you look it up, it is considered an urban legend.

    http://www.snopes.com/politics/quotes/tyler.asp
    San Diego 10/25/00, Mountain View 6/1/03, Santa Barbara 10/28/03, Northwest School 3/18/05, San Diego 7/7/06, Los Angeles 7/9/06, 7/10/06, Honolulu (U2) 12/9/06, Santa Barbara (EV) 4/10/08, Los Angeles (EV) 4/12/08, Hartford 6/27/08, Mansfield 6/28/08, VH1 Rock Honors The Who 7/12/08, Seattle 9/21/09, Universal City 9/30/09, 10/1/09, 10/6/09, 10/7/09, San Diego 10/9/09, Los Angeles (EV) 7/8/11, Santa Barbara (EV) 7/9/11, Chicago 7/19/13, San Diego 11/21/13, Los Angeles 11/23/13, 11/24/13, Oakland 11/26/13, Chicago 8/22/16, Missoula 8/13/18, Boston 9/2/18, Los Angeles 2/25/22 (EV), San Diego 5/3/22, Los Angeles 5/6/22, 5/7/22, Imola 6/25/22, Los Angeles 5/21/24, [London 6/29/24], [Boston 9/15/24]
  • NevermindNevermind Posts: 1,006
    Thats why Americans will elect Obama and we will embrace National Socialism.
  • true dat.
  • Nevermind wrote:
    Thats why Americans will elect Obama and we will embrace National Socialism.

    I'm tired of the Socialism card.

    Ya know, this country may or may not go Socialist.

    Ya'll have a choice in the matter. Government is local as well, which happens to influence the larger picture, only if folks exercise their rights. Or has this been forgotten?

    Use your voice and make a difference, quit frickin' whining. Sit back and let things fall as they will or get involved and create the change you would like to see, take action (all parties included).

    Sorry Nevermind ... you mentioned Socialism and it struck a nerve.
    "i'm a dedicated insomniac" ~ ev nyc beacon 6/22
  • DOSWDOSW Posts: 2,014
    Nevermind wrote:
    Thats why Americans will elect Obama and we will embrace National Socialism.

    Haha, okay. Eliminating tax cuts on the wealthy and helping out the middle class is socialism, but our current policies of social security, business regulation, corporate bailout, welfare, etc. is not. Okay!

    I love when people play the Socialism card. It's like putting a little extra sugar on a donut and claiming the donut is all of a sudden unhealthy because of the little extra sugar.

    Plus, if liberals in this country are Socialist, then conservatives are Fascists going by that logic. Both are statements are absurd.
    It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
  • NevermindNevermind Posts: 1,006
    DOSW wrote:
    Plus, if liberals in this country are Socialist, then conservatives are Fascists going by that logic. Both are statements are absurd.
    National Socialism is a form of Facism. I didnt excuse welfare either.
  • NevermindNevermind Posts: 1,006
    I'm tired of the Socialism card.

    Ya know, this country may or may not go Socialist.

    Ya'll have a choice in the matter. Government is local as well, which happens to influence the larger picture, only if folks exercise their rights. Or has this been forgotten?

    Use your voice and make a difference, quit frickin' whining. Sit back and let things fall as they will or get involved and create the change you would like to see, take action (all parties included).

    Sorry Nevermind ... you mentioned Socialism and it struck a nerve.
    My voice doesnt mean shit locally. I live in an area infected with hicks.

    Socialism will take a while to happen and one man cant do it alone. Just take a look at how influential Obama is. If it were to happen America will fall. The possibility frightens. Wheres JC when you need him?
  • Nevermind wrote:
    My voice doesnt mean shit locally. I live in an area infected with hicks.

    Socialism will take a while to happen and one man cant do it alone. Just take a look at how influential Obama is. If it were to happen America will fall. The possibility frightens. Wheres JC when you need him?

    That isn't true. You can make a difference, it just will require a heck of alot of effort. Or move if you don't like it.

    Obama is influential, surely. Though he is not that influential. America is based on capitalism/materialism ... not speaking of these as a negative. People come here for opportunity. It will take quite awhile to go Socialist. So speak your mind and be cause to what you believe. That's my two cents.

    For me, if Sarah Palin gets in and starts demanding creationism be taught in schools I'd be frickin' pissed. If McPalin happen to win, which they might, I'll be watching that woman like a hawk. To me she is more dangerous than Obama is with Socialism.

    So there ya have it, we both have fears. I'm not gonna let my fear get the best of me.

    JC would probably say, what the heck are ya'll "still" so uptight about, its been centuries, quit the nonsense and find a way to get along! : )
    "i'm a dedicated insomniac" ~ ev nyc beacon 6/22
  • DOSWDOSW Posts: 2,014
    Nevermind wrote:
    National Socialism is a form of Facism.

    So you're likening Obama to Hitler then, not Stalin. That's interesting.

    All because he's eliminating some tax breaks and giving them to people who need it more...
    It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
  • digsterdigster Posts: 1,293
    Good thing we're a Republic, then.
  • digster wrote:
    Good thing we're a Republic, then.
    A represented republic, but definitely NOT a democracy.
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