"Democracy in America"

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the majority discovers it can vote itself largess (generous gifts) out of the public treasury. After that, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits with the result the democracy collapses because of the loose fiscal policy ensuing, always to be followed by a dictatorship, then a monarchy." This is a quote from "Democracy in America" which was written by Alexis de Tocqueville in 1835.