I think it&#x27;s important to differentiate between countries of our present era and countries that &quot;fell&quot; in past eras, when evaluating or speculating on the potential for longevity...<p>The technologies of today, especially the ease and rapidity with which information can be exchanged by private citizens, seems to me at least, a hindrance to an &quot;overthrow&quot; of our government...a freely functioning &quot;Fourth Estate&quot;, journalism--the press, also acts as a safeguard...<p>At the point where either of those are verifiably co-opted I&#x27;d become very concerned...<p>Surveillance, per se, doesn&#x27;t worry me so much...tens of thousands of covert operations are in play every day around the globe...those in play to guard against terrorism on U.S. soil are likely just the tip of a vast iceberg...