When they allowed lower and lower classes to vote, politicians found they could "buy" their vote by directing the government to give stuff to the poor. This was often done in the form of "Bread" (free bread, i.e. Welfare) and Circuses. (Entertainment, like Television.)
The poor would then vote for the candidates that promised them the best shows or the most leisurely life.
They also accepted immigration from non-loyal parts of the empire, and when it came time that the Empire needed defending, many of them joined the invading rabble.
More or less what destroyed them is exactly what is currently destroying us.
The non-producers and the Wealthy are in an alliance against the middle class which produces everything. As part of this alliance, they are importing third worlders so as to weaken their political opposition by swelling the ranks of voters they control. ed when they gave they gave voting rights to the poor.
“The non-producers and the Wealthy are in an alliance against the middle class which produces everything”
Thank you for exposing the current war on American workers, and Western European workers. i e “Global Socialism” The top 1% controlling everything.