Related:

• America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between.
  - Oscar Wilde...
• America may be unique in being a country which has leapt from barbarism to decadence without touching civilization.
  -- John O'Hara...
• America is the only nation in history which miraculously has gone directly from barbarism to degeneration without the usual interval of civilization.
  -- George Clemenceau (1841-1929) (also attributed to Oscar Wilde)...
• Passing directly from barbarism to decadence.