SOCIETY - Decline of the Republics

I thought the following bit from again the "Dear and Glorious Physician" novel is quite applicable to the United States today even though the original edition was written in 1959 and applies to the Roman Empire.  The similarities are that the United States used to be a Republic.  A lot of people forget this in spite of it being in our Pledge of Allegiance....."I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the REPUBLIC, for which it stands...."  Out there in plain view.

I quote the book chapter here:  "You misunderstand me, Priscus.  I know that it was inevitable that Rome become what she is.  Republics decay into democracies, and democracies degenerate into dictatorships.  That fact is immutable.  When there is equality - and democracies bring equality - the people become faceless, they lose power and initiative, they lose pride and independence, they lose their splendor.  Republics are masculine, and so they beget the sciences and arts; they are prideful, heroic, and virile.  They emphasize God and glorify Him.  But Rome has decayed into a confused democracy, and has acquired traits such as materialism, greed, the lust for power, and expediency."  

There is more but that is all I am up to typing for the day.  This was a wet your whistle type of day.  Maybe you will research more on this topic yourself later.