"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."
There is much dispute concerning the author of this aged quotation. But there can certainly be no disputing its accuracy.
Take as example the disgusting Occupy Wall Street demonstrations happening now. Take a close look at the individuals involved. With few exceptions they fall into two categories: 1)Those that have chosen lives of sloth, degradation, and rebellion, yet believe they are entitled to the wealth acquired by the accursed "rich". 2)Those that exploit them for personal gain.
The desire of the slothful to steal from the productive is as old as time. Doing so through the workings of democratic government may make it legal, but it doesn't make it any more moral.
But alas the slothful will always outnumber the productive, and professional politicians (another concept against which our founders warned us) more concerned with power than with sustainable governance, will always be willing to pander to this majority. Ironically it will be the producers that are labeled "greedy" in this scheme.
I defy anyone to intelligently explain how this scenario can survive long term.
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