Will we eventually go into a dictatorship....naturally? It seems that a dictatorship will arise, not as an exterior imposition. But one demanded as an imposition from the citizens themselves. This will not happen from one moment to the next, lest a nuclear bomb levels a city. It will happen gradually, from one day to the next it would seem. Take oil for instance. It would have been helpful, economically, if someone had imposed an 'oil' tax some years ago to inoculate the population and start directing people to a more fuel efficient consumption. The oil tax could have been acheived by say, taxing single drivers so people would use greater mass transportation (buss), etc. However, democratically, the measure was voted down because it was not popular at the time. What happened? A few years later, the price of gas rises due to the greater demand, and a NATURAL tax is imposed on the population through a higher gas price. Perhaps nowadays, people would be willing to vote in a bill that would tax, say, hummers. Similarly, right now, a one child policy instituted or imposed from the exterior would be rejected and visciously attacked by human rights groups. Just image pro-life going after the one child policy. However, as population slowly creeps to 9 billion worldwide, people will start DEMANDING a measure such as the one child policy. It will start becoming economical. Because if you half the amount of people with the same amount of resources, you double standard of living, it would be an excellent policy promoter politicians could use as a result of the immesurable debt we would have left them due to our generation's spending and borrowing=it would also be a good way to attack america's debt. Look at this way, the people that were once favored...or customs that were once the accepted status quo, have now become unpopular. We were very willing to go invade a country after 911 because we felt attacked...but ocne the psychological impact and the real economic toll took its effect (it was only 5000 people compared to 50,000 car deaths each year in the united states)...people started wondering, is it really worth it to go invading countries because of two towers? Imagine what would have happened if a nuclear bomb had levelled New York city? What I am hinting at, is that the mores of the time are not defined by any absolute and irrevocable 'moral' ...but that such principles arise due to the circumstances of the time. So, it would be natural that the day a nuke goes off in new york, people will DEMAND someone pay. Right now, we have the luxury to say that we would not invade or do this or that, but when the chips are down, the demeanour of the country could change completely. What democracy doesn't anticipate is the future and long term trends. It only lives in the moment...what people 'feel' like...it doesn't plan, 5, 10 years ahead. Thus, things could have been killed when small, end up growing up into large problems So as we impose restrictions on our selves as time goes by, does it not make sense we will end up in a 'mob dictatorship'.... As the situation in the 21st century gets increasingly hairy .. our entire population is on aritificial life support with oil.....it went from 1 billion to 6 billion....crop yields are supported due to the energy invested in them in fuel...... it seems we will impose on ourselves a dictatorship....and not some harsh measures today, may become commonplace and acceptable....For example, as the value of human life declines, perhaps it will be economical to reduce the population by having them drafted and die in wars....Furthermore, eugenics might become a viable alternative to 'equalize the wealth gap'.... Perhaps people will grow weary of politicians trying to cator and agree to their every whinning and temporary whim....and want someone who will instruct them, teach them.....who has a greater intellect... perhaps the 'best and the brightest' will take a different meaning, be turned on its head, and only people with high IQ, hard workers, and morally endowed...reach office. if you think about it, as a leader, you want someone who will teach you, not someone who will cator to your every moronic and irrational whim.....this is analogous to a father being held by the balls by his kid and doing everything the kid desires, no matter how immature or moronic. As people see the benefits of 'enlightened electorates' and grow tired of now one agreeing under democracy (perhaps people will grow frustrated in face of slow reaction in a catastrophe)....they will set up a check and balances system that is democratic, yet meritocratic... say, high IQ, compassionate people reach office as people who control the population.....they are given many millions of dollars, but if they are found to abuse their power or be corrupt, they would be put to death or sent to jail. It seems as problems multiply this century, a dictatorship will not 'creep' and impose itself....but will perhaps, be demanded by the citizens themselves? it will be that, or leaving it up to 'God' which would be quite irresponsible and lead to complete chaos...such as the end of fight club. And then the population....would naturally....'rectify' itself...through a very rapid increase in homocides.