Never seen this saying, but it accurately describes the 4 ugas, or periods, in 4:3:2:1 proportion, in Indian occultism. Golden age where strong and good souls rule, they create prosperity. Silver age where good and weak ride the wave and maintain the traditions. Bronze age where bad and weak start abusing the system for personal profit. Iron age, the era of dark cults, where strong and evil rule freely. We are in a small bronze age right now.