> I think we are going full late Roman Empire—slow boiling of the frog for decades and decades. <
I think that’s a good analogy.
I once read an article where the author gave his opinion as to why the Roman Empire fell. He mentioned all the usual reasons, but then he added one of his own.
The Roman elite recognized the problems. But they simply could not believe that their great empire could ever fall. It was impossible! So there was really no need to take any corrective actions.
I suppose we are in that same situation today.
The other analogy to late stage Rome is that the elites did a lot of “tax planning” to avoid paying taxes to the Emperor.
Eventually the Emperor could not afford to pay the soldiers in the hinterlands, and the Empire started to collapse.
When the Emperor could no longer afford to pay the guards on the Palace Grounds, it was game, set, match.
Yes. The French sans culottes attacking the elites, burning them in their mansions and hanging then from lamp posts. It could happen here when the middle class has had enough. Are you listening Congresspeople?