Freedom’s Fatal Sequence
Freedom is always transitory for any People; it follows a historically well established cycle of rise and fall. It moves from bondage, to freedom and affluence, and back to bondage again.
The Fatal Sequence Known As The Tytler Cycle
Progression through the Fatal Sequence that leads to the death of all democracies a smooth and measured march towards entropy. It seems, if history is any judge, to happen in fits and starts with societies staying at one point then lurching forward again.
Interestingly, the Tytler Cycle was no part of Lord Woodhouselee, Alexander Fraser Tytler’s written works though it does perfectly fit them, especially his Universal History.
Where America is within the Tytler Cycle is open to some debate. This is, in no small part, because of a trend started in the latter half of the twentieth century to divide and fragment America for the dubious sake of cultural diversity. America being now more than one People is at multiple points in the cycle – but all are further along the path back to Bondage than Liberty –> Abundance.
Can we move backward along the path of the Tytler Cycle? I think it’s possible. Will we as a people do so? I doubt it; it doesn’t seem to be in human nature to do so.
Tags: America | Civilization | Democracy | Entitlement Society | Freedom | History | Political Theory | Politics | Slavery | Society | Tyranny | Tytler