Civilization takes work, sacrifice, and self-discipline.
Once a society reaches a certain economic security, the people forget about these things and let everything fall apart in their quest for riches, power, and pleasure.
I work in academia and told a professor of history and anthropology that despite it’s bad points that imperialism made many parts of the world a much better place. You would have thought I slapped him upside the head with a ten pound trout!
He stuttered and went red faced and I said are not most countries where there was a long time European presence and rule in a better place where government, economics and poverty are concerned and I cited a few examples. He agreed but then started on the abuses of imperialism. I said did I not say there were abuses? Yes, but... So abuses aside are these countries better off? Well it could be said they are in some cases, but...
I once told him in jest we should have kept all of Mexico during the US/Mexican war. I thought he was going to stroke out lol! I enjoy setting this guy off like a Roman candle.