A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years.
- - Alexis de Tocqueville (July 29, 1805 April 16, 1859)
Thanks, that was the one. Well we are way over 200 years. Damn those old guys were smart.