I've just been reading Mary Beard's marvellous history book "SPQR" about the growth of Ancient Rome as a republic and its metamorphosis into an authoritarian tyranny. Fascinating. And eerily familiar.

Sorry, Umair, this stuff has been happening for thousands of years - what's new is that global heating will put a stop to human culture very soon unless we once again turn on a sixpence/dime and reform ourselves.

Not holding my breath at the moment. But you never know... The Marshall plan happened, after all.