This is the third in a four part series on the transition between democracy and dictatorship. In the first part we
looked at historical examples of democracy to dictatorship transitions to see if there might be a pattern. In the
second, we investigated Arnold Toynbee's civilization life cycle to understand the transition between a republic
and an empire. Now, we will compare to see where we stand today.
How far are we from the formation of a universal state? There are usually a couple of precursors. The first is
unrest, internally and externally. The second is a willingness of the populace to cede freedom for security. In
the past sixty years, I can think of at least one external troop commitment per decade. Now, that may not be the
surest indication. With Indian wars and raids around the globe in Haiti, Cuba, and similar places, we have had
wars every decade of our existence. Have we had internal civil disturbances? Certainly there have been more than
a few since the Sixties. The internal proletariat known as the African-American people have risen to claim their
place in leadership. Many civil disturbances have and continue to accompany that rise. Other groups such as
Hispanics are also rising up to take a piece of the pie. Are we in conflict with external proletariats that both
hate us and use our tools? Al Qaida is one example, but not the only one. So on the surface we have the
beginnings of the disturbance that can bring the universal state.
What about the second main precursor? Are people willing to give up freedom for security? Is the percentage of
irresponsible citizens high enough that a demagogue could gain power and establish his own empire? The best
indication that we are ripe for empire came to me on an Internet message board about the newest societal crime,
DWT, driving while talking on a cell phone. For me, this is simple. We have laws in place for reckless driving.
Enforce those laws, and the problem is solved. Not every person talking while driving drives badly. It shouldn't
be a crime for those who are capable. Making a new law does nothing. I believe the authorities will already pull
over a cell phone driver who is reckless. But how does the rest of America respond? They'd rather have the new
law. Why? Because it makes them feel safer. When one participant was asked why she doesn't just report the
reckless drivers that she encounters now, her reply was it would just be her word against theirs. It would be a
waste of time and that she has a life and can't waste it on that. She even eventually admitted that a new law
would have done nothing to stop the incidences she cited. There were no police around to enforce the law. Police
can't be everywhere. Despite admitting her own illogic in the matter, she stuck to her guns. Why? Logic had
nothing to do with it. It was about a feeling of security. She was willing to trade the rights of herself and
others for a feeling of comfort while not addressing the real problem.
Modern air travel is another example. People are willing to have their property broken or confiscated and go
through hours of hassles to fly "securely." Wouldn't it be just as effective and faster to just arm everyone with
some non-lethal weapon like a tranquilizer gun? "Welcome to Attila Airlines. Here's your protection. Anyone
causes trouble, use it. Thank you for flying with us."
Although these examples of the evidence are anecdotal, there are other indicators that America is empire fodder.
For instance, there were the Clinton Years. A large proportion of the population was willing to ignore the law for
the sake of their leader. Are there other instances of people's emotion triumphing over logic and an
understanding of history and the law? Places where people trade freedom for the illusion of security? Well, we do
have gun bans, California smoking laws, seat belt laws, helmet laws, and various trends in the law since 9/11.
America hasn't always been about thinking safety and security first. America used to be about risk, about
entrepreneurship, about hard work and taking chances. The trend toward safety and security, usually illusory,
shows that we are ripe for an emperor to emerge. If we become an empire, it will be like Rome, not like Mr. Lucas'
Star Wars Empire. No outside coalition powerful enough to stop us will exist. We will own the world with none to
say us nay.
The last column in this series will be a question and answer dialogue about the transition between republics and
dictatorships.
F. B. Knight is Curmudgeon-in-Residence at the Attila the Hun School of Management. He can be reached for questions at
fbk@attilathehunschool.net.
