Have we entered the era of end stage capitalism?

I don’t quite understand the question, but I’ll take a stab at it.
Every single democracy throughout history has only lasted about 200 years before evolving into some other form of government. Every single one without exception! What they evolved into, I don’t know and can only guess. The US has passed the 200 year mark, as you are well aware.
So I will say that the answer to your question is, basically, yes.

@kritiper Most of them devolve into some form of socialism which works for a time and is then replaced with a dictatorship. Eventually there is a revolution and the cycle starts again. Ben Franklin summed it up:

“When the people find that they can vote themselves money that will herald the end of the republic.”

The question occurred to me while reading @Demosthenes query about the homeless in San Francisco.

@seawulf That’s a nice quote. But you then have to ask “Why should the people find it necessary to vote themselves money?” And you should be less rash in that “most of them” assessment. In fact, if there is still time, you should rush to edit that remark as swiftly as you can arrange it.

@kritiper my question is only peripherally about democracy. I think one of the REALLY big mistakes in this country is the pressure to conflate capitalism with democracy. The conversation thus far should illustrate the point.

@seawulf575 How long do you suppose this country might persist without the myriad incarnations of the dole?

Just in case anyone was wondering, there’s no evidence that Benjamin Franklin ever said that. The first known instance of the quote comes from an article in the Daily Oklahoman dated 9 December 1951, where the quote is (also mistakenly) attributed to Alexander Fraser Tytler. It can be found in paragraph 12 (the one starting with “TWO” in all caps) of the story titled “This Is the Hard Core of Freedom.”

@stanleybmanly I see no reason to amend my statement. Most societies that hit the capitalistic point do end up devolving into some form of socialism. Nothing rash about that. As for why should people find it necessary to vote themselves money…maybe you are starting at the wrong point with that query. WHY would people want to vote themselves money? That is the starting point. Most times it comes as a form of greed. If you can have someone hand you money without having to work for it, isn’t that easier than actually working for it? When a politician is promising stuff to constituents, they are tapping into that idea.

So social security, unemployment benefits, food stamps—rewards to the greedy?

Okay…why would anyone vote themselves free stuff? You tell me what the driving force is. And why does it keep getting more and more and more? Please, enlighten us.

The short answer is if you don’t give it to them, they will take it. The polite answer is because it is necessary. The thoughtful answer is that it is there, and the basic issue is about WHO gets HOW MUCH? So why must the dole increase?

@stanleybmanly Maybe this question should be under “general.”

Probably, but I never ask questions there. Don’t be fooled by my clothing. I already take myself much too seriously.

I had assumed that you were talking about capitalists here in beautiful, downtown, democracy/republic type America, hence my prior answer. I didn’t know you meant capitalism in general.
Any good capitalist will sell his soul to the devil if it makes him a buck.

My question is about what must happen to a system based on limitless growth and disproportionate acquisition (or distribution) of wealth in a finite environment. If there’s any truth to this as “the way it works”, where do we we now sit in the grand scheme of things.

That’s easy! In a toilet bowl.