Post #3308712

@daringfireball Born and raised in America, I too have a near religious belief in the ideals of democracy. However, this election result has made me consider whether democracy is by design less long-lived than monarchy and autocracies. Rule by fiat/power can indefinitely survive by doubling down on what they are. Most of the longest-lived cultures were run by monarchy/familal right or brute force. By contrast, democracy can be defeated by the very traits that define it—the openness to change and opinion of the populace. It only takes one trip up, the election of one autocrat, to destroy democracy. Once lost, it’s very hard to go back. Germany went back to democracy after they voted their autocrat into power, but not until the violent loss of tens of millions of lives and unspeakable atrocities, the near destruction of their society, and a determined effort by the free world to build it back democratically. What fate awaits us Americans?