How Governments Change

How Governments Change

Alexander Fraser Tyler was an economist and professor at Edinburgh University during the time of the American Revolution. From my perspective, this  cogent observation is one that still has compelling relevA July 4th Reflection and Questionance for us today:

A democracy, Fraser writes, cannot exist as a permanent form of government… The average age of the world’s great civilizations has been approximately 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence:

From bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From great courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to selfishness; From selfishness to complacency; From complancy to apathy; From apathy to to dependence; From dependence back to bondage…

So I have to ask: Where is the USA now? Where in his list of progress do we find ourselves?

“[ If I were asked to name the three influences I thought were the most dangerous to the perpetuity of the American society, I should name its corruptions in business and politics alike; Its willingness to accept lawless violence; and its mendacity, and the ease by which it defames itself and then justifies that action to others especially in connection to slander…

Americanism means the virtues of courage, honor, justice, truth, sincerity- these are the virtues that made America. The things that will destroy America are the attitudes that promote prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first before duty first, the love of soft living, and the “get rich quick” theory of life.]”            Theodore Roosevelt      1900

“I hope to see revealed that in America, we will be one of the foremost nations in examples of justice and liberality.”

George Washington