Al Gore tells us that we’re at a tipping point with regard to the climate. That’s almost certainly wrong; we are not at some point of no return that calls for immediate, drastic action.
But what about democracy? James Bovard argues here that American democracy is at the point of capsizing. What he means is that the number of voters who receive benefits from government now outnumbers those who are entirely dependent on themselves. He writes, “But in modern times, dependency is the highest political good — at least for politicians. Since the 1930s, politicians have striven to leave no vote unbought. Government aid programs have been endlessly expanded, and the government has sought to maximize the number of people willing to accept handouts.”
The long-run consequences of having a majority of people looking for ways to live at the expense of others are predictable. Less and less energy will go into the production of goods and services. More and more will go into efforts at wheedling favors from politicians. Society goes into a slow downward spiral, as we have seen in, e.g., Argentina.
The United States used to be the haven for ambitious, productive people. Where will the new haven be?
