Good insight.
It is said that we are a nation of laws and not men, but that's never been true. All tolerable government depends on what used to be called 'men of goodwill'. God has graciously granted America 'men of goodwill' (until now), even though the foundation for tyranny was laid in the Civil War and the framework has been rising since. The America of Goodwill, RIP.
Overall, attempting to see from the perspective of long history, I feel mankind in general is improving. Each experiment we try is better than the last. Each national form we try is freer than the last.
What comes after us is certain to be better, eventually.
Or maybe I’ve just watched to much Star Trek.