That is the key to history. Terrific energy is expended, civilizations are
built up, excellent institutions devised; but each time something goes wrong.
Some fatal flaw always brings the selfish and cruel people to the top, and then
it all slides back into misery and ruin. In fact, the machine conks. It seems
to start up all right and runs a few yards, and then it breaks down.
-- C. S. Lewis