Cornish Jack,
What? Values etc have changed hardly at all, we still had liars and crooks in Parliament in every decade from about 1600 to now, only I think it fair to say that now there are considerably fewer. "Old world" values are NOT of constancy and dedicated application to duty, they were more about keeping a clear elite status and making sure that the bulk of humanity stayed firmly where it was, in a society where your family name and wealth meant far more than your ability or capability.
The idea of a meritocracy was anathema to these people.
Thankfully it is far less so today.