The power of literature and stories

Nourished for hundreds of years in a literature in which Right invariably triumphs in the last chapter, we believe half-instinctively that evil always defeats itself in the long run. Pacifism, for instance, is founded largely on this belief. Don’t resist evil, and it will somehow destroy itself. But why should it? What evidence is there that it does? And what instance is there of a modern industrialised state collapsing unless conquered tram the outside by military force?—George Orwell, A Collection of Essays, 200

<idle musing>
Ah, but he is wrong about a state collapsing without being overrun. The most recent example is the Soviet Union. It dramatically collapsed in 1980. And, we are currently seeing the collapse of the US. So, military force isn't necessary. Economic collapse can happen from within.
</idle musing>