• U de Recife@literature.cafe
    112·
    2 years ago

    In the Republic, book VIII, Socrates identifies as democracy’s leading cause of corruption precisely that thing makes it seemingly so beautiful. In a democracy, citizens become inebriated with freedom (Euleteria). By making it the highest goal, people in a democracy end up leading democracy to its downfall.

    True ca. 2400 years ago; still true today.

    • MrCharles@lemmy.world
      1·
      2 years ago

      A democracy can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largess from the public treasury.

      • Alexis de Tocqueville