But during the 1700s and 1800s the western world was engulfed in revolution and political theory began to consume many minds. Democracy was the great escape from the tyranny of ages past. Rule of the people promised the end of oppression.
Democracy has not ended all evil however. Neither has Communism, Federalism, Socialism, Libertarianism, Republicanism, Populism, or any political theory. All of them have made some small contribution to the good of the world, but evil continues. While true poverty has been virtually unknown in western world, the 20th century was the bloodiest in history. It is now - it has always been - as Charles Dickens put it, the best of times, the worst of times, the age of great wisdom, the age of great foolishness. The fact is this: no form of government can create peace on earth.
Nations do not thrive because of superior forms of government, but rather because of superior leaders and superior people. Alexis de Tocqueville, in his book Democracy in America, reached the conclusion that the greatest reason for America's prosperity was not the character of its government, but the character of it's people. A people who is drained of life - a people who has lost all sense of duty - these will fail whether they be communist or capitalist, confederate or centralized. A people which is perfect (not to suggest such is possible) will thrive even under abject tyranny.
None of this goes to say that form of government is not important, that it doesn't have any influence on the prosperity of a nation, or that some forms of governments don't lend themselves to prosperity more so than others. My point is simply that above all else, a people will thrive based upon the strength of its character and will to survive. Some forms of government tend to squash these inclinations in their peoples such that only the strongest would be able to thrive. The future will see a dominance of those countries whose will is strong.
