Quote:
Originally Posted by synaesthetic
Indeed, and that is troubling. Alexander Tytler once wrote:
"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover they can vote themselves largess from the public treasury.
"From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising them the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship."
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I can't help but think that's an optimistic view. I mean, sure, the voters in this case are short-sighted. But at least they're looking out for their own self-interest. I harbor a suspicion that voters are actually more interested in pushing their neighbors down than in pulling themselves up.