• U de Recife@literature.cafe
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    1 year 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
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      1 year ago

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

      • Alexis de Tocqueville