End of the road?

Prince of Darkness

Someone may be able to help me out here,  for curiosity's sake. .  I  spent the better part of this evening surfing through Machiavelli's "The Prince."   Okay, through *sparksnotes.   It was my best guess on where to find the precept which states, in summation:  People forced to spend waking hours scratching out that day's sustenance, will have no time to foment rebellion. It was something I read years ago; maybe Eric Hoffer?  In any event, that eventuality is on my mind again.  This house of cards Obama  built  is but a gust of ill-wind away from collapse.  Another jolt like DEFICIT ADDS $165,040,000,000.00 -- IN ONE MONTH! could do it. Total financial collapse would put an end to any  citizen's revolt.  It would also be the exit point on that road to serfdom.  How galling.