Perfectly correct.

As success breeds entitlement and the strength and unity that builds empires evaporates and citizens clamour and demand more and more 'bread, circuses and rights' from the government while offering less and less.

Look at the USA today- seething with various groups demanding their 'rights' and a complete breakdown of any sense of unity and purpose. People in a declining empire forget the importance of unity and government - they assume they will always be the dominant culture. They adopt such absurd notions as Libertarians do ignoring the historical fact that governments and their role have always been crucial to the wealth of nations.