The French Revolution was an event in which urban intellectuals, jealous of the Aristocracy used the masses to grasp control. They govern society with theory instead of principle, substitute quantity for quality. Just as the military need well trained leadership, so does society. Irreligious, Rational, Materialistic men sterilize everything by analyzing it; including themselves. Children are considered in terms of "pros" and "cons". Art, architecture, clothing, furniture, music lose their form, becoming ever changing popular fads.
Lacking discipline to reform themselves, intellectual "world improvers" constantly propose theories on how to govern society. All forms of social distinction, good manners, honor, authority, rank are ceaselessly attacked and deconstructed. This process will continue until the idea exhausts itself-- Nihilism and Chaos.
Destiny has put us in this era of decay. We can face our fate with courage, or be cowardly optimists.
Every culture has gone through its own form of Nihilism and Skepsis, where skeptics question everything. How long then, does a Culture survive? After a certain number of generations, each culture transforms into civilization. What was formerly alive, becomes rigid and cold. Expansiveness of mind and spirit is replaced with a lust for expansion in the MATERIAL world. Life guided by ideals is replaced by life guided by politics and economics. The power of these ideas becomes strong, so much that it leads to Imperialism. A sign of transformation: is a Socrates, Buddha, Lao Tsu, Rousseau. They enunciate ultimate, but Earthly ideals with practical and terminal ideas. The materialistic ideas of mass and number begin to dominate the culture, governments try to appeal to the most, plebeian catchwords are used "equality" "the common good" "the working man".
In this era of transition, a man like Alexander the Great emerges (for the west it is Napoleon). His immense military success is due to ignoring Chivalric military traditions. Materialist thought guides military strategy. Technology and Mass are used to win. Armies shrink in size soon after, into voluntary professional armies, most join for money or love of combat. Armies gradually become privatized, Pacifism becomes popular in reaction, Society becomes increasingly litigious, Money is an Idea, which slowly becomes more abstract, until it itself becomes a power. It buys state power, and over time, the lines separating Politics and Commerce slowly fade away. Business and government combine, forming an Imperial Government.
There are men who desire power, who cannot be stopped.