"A great civilization is not conquered from without, until it has destroyed itself from within. The essential causes of Rome's decline lay in her people, her morals, her class struggle, her failing trade, her bureaucratic despotism, her stifling taxes, her consuming wars."
- Will Durant, The Story Of Civilization III, Epilogue, 1944
A number of sources list this as a quote, but it is a synthesis of the Epilogue "Why Rome Fell". It is valid then as well as now. America as we know it won't collapse, but Americans have been unusually successful in dealing with "bureaucratic despotism". They will be successful again. Bankruptcy of another experiment in bureaucratic despotism will prompt a refreshing turn to reform of bullying politics.
The election was a big day for the implacable forces of big bureaucracy, main stream media and big unions. There is no change from before the election.
1 comment:
We never seem to learn, do we? This is one reason why it's so important to require history be taught in our schools.
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