Looking at Venezuela and Greece, the maxim holds true. On the other hand, America, even today, ain't like neither of those, General. America confounds both conservatives and statists alike. Conservatives wonder why more Americans are not conservative and Progressives wonder why more Americans do not buy into Liberalism. America has troubled, and awed, the Soviets and Nazis and despots the world over.
The truly committed statists believe that when America is crushed economically, it will readily turn to 3rd world status. I am convinced that it will not. Yet, what it becomes when the economy collapses is not clear to me. FWIW, General.
Ergo the push to import as many 3rd world "Americans" as fast as they possibly can.