*the dumbest people in any advanced nation, are unable to keep up with what is going on in the world."

*No one* is able to keep up with what is going on in the world, most notably TPTB. Exhibit A: Our Dear Leader. Part of that problem is the illusion that *knowledge* is possible, when in fact only *belief* ever is. It's in the nature of limited and imperfect human beings. Which means, regarding democracy, that you can't separate the capable from non-capable. There are court jesters and village idiots who have insights, and geniuses who have blind spots.

Meanwhile, *all* have equal moral value. If you're a sociopath, you probably won't believe or even understand that last point. (U.S.) Democracy is usually misinterpreted as aggregate *functional* decision-making, but it's value is more like aggregate *moral* decision-making (judging people not policies, however imperfect the method) ... which is one reason why it is implemented with *representatives*.

What you're describing as inevitable is the re-emergence of sociopathic rule. So I'd look again at why it was defeated so many times.