Degeneracy Facilitates Tyranny

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The progresive degeneracy of a people is a sure road to tyranny. A people who reject righteousness cannot remain free: 

"To usurp supreme and absolute authority, then, in a free state, and subject it to tyranny, the people must have already been corrupt by gradual steps from generation to generation. And all states necessarily come to this, unless (as we have already shown above) they are frequently reinvigorated by good examples, and brought back by good laws to their first principles...For it is as difficult to make a people free that is resolved to live in servitude, as it is to subject a people to servitude that is determined to be free."*

Freedom is the fruit of righteousness. Paul tells us, "17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" (2 Cor. 3:17). 

Where the Spirit if the Lord is, there is righteousness and liberty is the fruit of a righteous people. Where there is increasing degeneracy only tyranny can result. Because evil people cannot maintain their freedom. Enslavement to sin leads to servitude to tyrannical leaders. 

*(Niccolo Machiavelli, Duscources on Livy, p299).