dangerously122 unstable123 from of government. (40) Foremost among those who made this complaint124 was Socrates’ student and friend, Plato (427-347 BC).
(41) Plato believed that democracy is dangerous125 because it puts political power into the hands of ignorant126 and envious127 people. (42) Because they are ignorant, he argued,128 the people will not know how to use political power for the common good. (43) Because they are envious they will be concerned129 only with their own good, which they will seek to advance130 by plundering131 those who are butter off. (44) Because they are both ignorant and envious they will be easily132 swayed133 by demagogues—literally,134 leaders of the demos—who will flatter them, appeal to their envy,135 and turn citizens against citizens. (45) From democracy, in shot, comes civil war and anarchy,136 the destruction137 of the city-state. (46) When democracy has left the polis in this wretched138 condition, according to Plato analysis, the people will cry out for law and order. (47) They will then rally around anyone strong enough to bring an end to anarchy. (48) But such a person will be a despot, Plato said, a tyrant139 who cares nothing about the polis or the people because he cares only for power. (49) So from democracy, rule by the people, it is but a series of short steps to tyranny.140
(50) This argument141 against democracy found favor with a number of political thinkers, including Plato student Aristotle (384-322 BC). (51) Aristotle maintained142 that democracy is one of six basic kinds of political regimes143 or constitutions.144 (52) Governing power, he said in his politics, may be in the hands of one person, a few people, or many; and this power may be exercised either145 for the good of the whole community146—in which case it is good or true—or solely147 for the good of the rulers—in which case it is bad or perverted. (53) By combining148 8these features,149 Aristotle arrived at the six-cell scheme150 illustrated151 in figure 2.1.
Monarchy Tyranny
Aristocracy Oligarchy
Polity Democracy
“True” “Perverted”
(54) Two features152 of Aristotle classification153 of regimes are especially noteworthy.154 The first, of course, is that he followed Plato in considering155 democracy to be bad or undesirable.156 (55) For Aristotle, democracy is a corrupt157 from of rule because the demos tends to be shortsighted158 and selfish.159 (56) The common people will recklessly160 pursue their own interests by taking property,161 wealth, and power from the few with little or no regard162 for the peace and stability163 of the polis as a whole. (57) But this serves their interests only in the short run, and in the end they will bring chaos,164 and ultimately165 tyranny, to the whole polis.
(58) In Book V of the politics Aristotle analyzes166 the close connection between democracy and tyranny by showing how the former can and often does turn in to the letter.
(59) First, a demagogue167 persuades168 the common people that their democracy is in grave danger from some real or imagined enemy,169 whether foreign or domestic.170 (60) Next, he endears171 himself to the people by presenting himself as their friend and their savior from this foe. (61) He then starts a war against this real or imagined172 enemy, based on bogus173 reasons which the gullible174 people accept (fear having made them even more gullible), and leaving them “always in need of a leader.” (62) This war serves to distract175 the people, preventing176 them from paying attention to what the demagogue-turned-tyrant177 is doing domestically,178 including undermining179 the constitution, making his cronies180 and hangers-on wealthy at public expense, and expanding his powers into areas that were previously181 constitutionally182 off-limits. (63) The tyrant maintains and increases183 his power by distrusting184 anyone outside his inner circle; he tells lies that the people believe; he plants in their midst to ferret out critics and dissidents;185 he withholds186 information and practices censorship;187 he divides the people among themselves by “sowing dissensions”188 and “creating quarrels”189 over real or imaginary190 issues of little or no importance, thereby turning the people against each other so