[Skybird]

Since it is about the fall of nations now, I recommend everybody the book that I currently read myself (still in the middle of it): Machiavelli: "Discorsi". That is a real eye-opener, and so laser-sharp observed by him. Although he takes his many examples from Rome, he could as well have had our present in mind when showing what works and what not in keeping a nation together, and keeping it healthy. Where he shows how experiments and political proceedingsa failed in the past, and why, I immediately realised how precise a description of many most elemental problems of modern Western democracies his comments are. His evil reputation of being mercilessly and egoist, is undeserved - he just does not become sentimental and instead sees reality like it is, in good and in bad. For political dreamdancers wanting to deceive the people for selfish interests, that is of course most unwelcome. Machiavelli is no state tyrant. In fact, he is a strong defender of the concept of a republic. but for a republic to work, many hard truths must be realised, and understood. And from that both Europe and America are lightyears away, judging by Machiavellis descriptions. we only have how both continents were planned to be like - and failed in realising that.

I already had read his biography longer while ago, which already was exciting, too.