I've been pondering the lifespan of Republics. Most live only a few hundred years before falling into Autarchy. I'm wondering if, by the will of the American people, the tide is turning.
More below the fold.
No republic or Democracy has survived much past 300 years. Rome was a republic from 510 BC to 133 BC. Athenian Democracy was destroyed from within lasting from 700 BC to the 430s BC. Florence was a Republic from 1298 to 1500, only a little over 200 years. Democratic institutions have been in teh US since the founding of the Virginia House of Burgesses, which means they are over 300 years old here as well.
Machiavelli had a theory of 6 forms of governance running around each other in a circle, with 3 good governments and 3 bad governments. Each was a reflection of each other. Initially, there is Monarchy -- Honorable, just rule by one. Inevitably this slides into Tyrrany -- Dishonorable, injust rule by one. Tyrrany is overthrown by rich landowners, creatings an Aristiocratic rule. aristocracy being honorable rule by a few. This also slides into an injust form: Oligarchy. Oligarchies are in turn overthrown by a middle class, who set up a Republic. Republics disentigrate into Democracy (of the old type) .. really meaning 'Mob Rule'. the Democracy is then overthrown into Monarchy again, restarting the cycle.
Is the US just entering the cycle where we go toward a monarchistic style of Rule?
I'd like to think we were too smart to avoid it, but look at what level of power we ascribe to the Presidency these days. It seems as if its the only office considered at all important...A sign of Monarchy? Or just laziness?