Those "progressive ideals" have long since ceased to be progressive, ever since the "progressives" gained more or less permanent power in those places. Progressives should not remain in power for too long since they are not capable of recognising a local optimum and keeping those policies which have been shown to work. Conservatives should not remain in power for too long since they are not capable of recognising the need for change when external or internal factors have made the traditional way of doing things obsolete or counterproductive. What is needed is a balance between the two, a form of checks an balances on ideology.