Rowe: Democratic Governments' Fatal Flaw?

By Robert H. Rowe

With the 20 or so candidates for president all offering voters more benefits and at the same time bestowing tax cuts, I am reminded of what Alexander Tyler, a political philosopher and Scottish professor at the University of Edinburgh stated in 1887:

“A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse over loose fiscal policy.”

Since the 1960s, the public has demanded more and more from their government, and to pay less in taxation. The thrust is not only from individual voters; it comes from well-funded special interest groups that have extensive funds for lobbying elected officials. In principal, elected legislators know that they must act for the common good and be willing to compromise on issues, however if a politician in office desires to stay in office he/she must answer accordingly: lower taxes and provide increased benefits to the majority and special interest groups and then make someone else pay the bill, namely the wealthy and businesses.

The successful politician knows that the American voter has an insatiable appetite for more benefits. This demand does not discourage experienced politicians. They can always tweak a tax slightly or find a new income source – thus more to spend, and more voters to satisfy. It does not matter that as taxes increase, businesses relocate to more favorable countries and the wealthy secure their assets elsewhere. Even then, when government revenue is inadequate, Congress knows it can borrow. The successful politician ignores the fact that spending beyond a country’s means will result in an unhealthy tax burden and overpowering debt will eventually weaken the country.

When democratic governments are overpowered by debt and the citizens suffer a reduced quantity of life, then and only then will the elected representatives possibly be motivated to take corrective measures. However, even at this late stage, legislators will only act decisively if approved by the voters and political action groups. Look to the European Union countries; the public has no stomach for sacrifice. That is, unless, it is someone else is absorbing the sacrifice. As a result obtaining any major solution to a fiscal crisis is nearly impossible with our political form of government. In only a few years after the E.U., countries tightened their belts; the voters revoked the fiscal austerity program and demanded the good times to roll again. They will roll the dice again and greatly worsen the problem.

Without a broad common sense awakening, courage and willingness to sacrifice on the part of the public, will America become a second rate power as Europe has become? Will the economic power balance shift to Asia? I wonder. We are a selfish nation with special interest groups insisting on maintaining their power and influence in and out of government. In short, the American public wants it all, and will continue to support the politician who promises the most. If so, the future does not bode well for America.

Only a few of us elderly citizens are aware that there is a difference between thequantity of life and a quality of life. The America we oldies remember was not an easy life, it was a challenge. But with that challenge, we had unity and a high quality of life from the hands of our family, friends, neighbors, church, and community. We have lost this closeness with our desire for more and more from a large, bureaucratic, and impersonal institution known as big government.

So is Professor Tyler correct? Will America implode as a result of excessive debt or, as Winston Churchill stated on Nov. 11, 1947, that political parties can only truly provide for the common good through partisan consensus.

State Rep. Robert H. Rowe, R-Amherst, is the chairman of the House judiciary Committee