Our self-interests imperil democracy

Apathy and self interest are the determinates of the survival of a democracy. At least these are the thoughts of Alexander Tyler, historian and economist, written in 1778 in an article entitled "The Cycle of Democracy" quoted below:

"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 candidate promising the most money, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, followed by dictatorship.

"The average of the world's great 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 dependency, from dependency back to bondage."

Ironically, one cannot help but wonder if "government" itself is subtlety becoming a pseudo dictatorship. Bondage in the form of promising monies from a depleted treasury by raising working citizens' taxes. Even non-citizens are benefiting from their largess -- more money for more votes.

Sadly, intrinsic personal freedoms are rapidly being eroded and political correctness has been taken to absurdity.

Let's hope this new form of oxymoronic "dictatorial democracy" can evade the fate of history. It's the best one man has devised so far. Time will tell.

Geri O'Brien

Arlington Heights