'Gradual descents' can lead many directions, including into rebounds and revivals. Virtually all countries and political systems have suffered declines at time

'Gradual descents' can lead many directions, including into rebounds and revivals. Virtually all countries and political systems have suffered declines at times. Since periods of decline is a nearly universal experience, the leap from gradual decline to nazis is only moderately less tenuous than the leap from 'drinks water' to nazis.