"Is an Empire the only type of government prone to corruption and destruction, or is every type of régime susceptible to it?"
Asked and answered.
“If Men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and the next place, oblige it to control itself.”
This a great anthology. I picked up the paperback decades ago and still have it. Pournelle and Carr put together a whole bunch of great anthologies. I think I have a whole shelf of them (or will, once the library is full unpacked and sorted).
"Is an Empire the only type of government prone to corruption and destruction, or is every type of régime susceptible to it?"
Asked and answered.
“If Men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and the next place, oblige it to control itself.”
― James Madison
Exactly. :thumbsup:
This a great anthology. I picked up the paperback decades ago and still have it. Pournelle and Carr put together a whole bunch of great anthologies. I think I have a whole shelf of them (or will, once the library is full unpacked and sorted).