Lessons from history

It's reported in today's Telegraph that Dr Michael Scott, a Cambridge University classicist has just published a new book titled 'From democracy to Kings'. The book outlines Dr Scott's take on what caused the fall of ancient Athens. The four features of the time which he highlights were a crippling economic downturn, politicians committing financial misdemeanors, a failure to control immigration and soldiers being sent to fight unpopular wars. What was that about history being a guide to the future?