I would not be so sure. Previous to the collapse of the Soviet Union in the late 80's to early 90's, very few people expected that it would fall so soon. If asked, most people (including most historiand, political scientists, and politicians) would have said a collapse (if it happened at all) would probably take many decades. Yet in a few short years it was accomplished, and all of a sudden there were a slew of new republics in its place.

Or look at the end of segregation. Again, to large percentage of the US population at the time it seemed not only that segregation was the way things were, but that it was the way it was meant to be (with much more irrational and passionate attitudes against desegregation than even the anti-drug hysteria we have in the US today), and very few would have expected it to end so soon. And yet all of a sudden there was a mass movement that resulted in desegregation within a decade (though a good argument could be made that the process still isn't complete today).

It is easy enough to find many other examples of fast, radical change throughout history. Just look at the history of any number of revolutions or fights for independence (though, of course, some are take much longer, like the Irish and Palestinian quest for independence).

The point is that history has a way of changing radically, and very quickly. Just because the goal may seem far off today doesn't mean that it will remain so. History is being made as we speak.