"Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide. It is in vain to say that democracy is less vain, less proud, less selfish, less ambitious, or less avaricious than aristocracy or monarchy. It is not true, in fact, and nowhere appears in history. Those passions are the same in all men, under all forms of simple government, and when unchecked produce the same effects of fraud, violence, and cruelty. When clear prospects are opened before vanity, pride, avarice, or ambition, for their easy gratification, it is hard for the most considerate philosophers and most conscientious moralists to resist the temptation. Individuals have conquered themselves. Nations and large bodies of men, never."--John Adams
This is one of the reasons democracy is problematic--just like every other form of government, I admit.
Men are just as bad in masses as they are as individuals, if not worse. The difference is that in masses they are less likely to see that what they are doing is wrong. It is wrong for me to steal another's property--but redistributive taxation? It is wrong for me to load my children with debt--but social security? It is wrong and foolish to ignore everything another says in debate--but I'll toe the party line and insult all those who don't. It is wrong to try to favor oneself at the expense of the common good--but hey, this politician promised earmarks, and we could use a new school.
Democracy seems mostly to extend responsibility to those who have not been trained for it, are not intellectually prepared for it, and can scarcely be made aware that they have it.
Most societies self-destruct eventually, so it is hard to say that if some factor was removed, the society would last forever. Whether democracy is actually a cause of destruction isn't clear. But what is clear is that some of the most successful cultures in history were democracies, including Athens, the Roman Republic, and recent Western culture. Athenian democracy was cut short by losing the Peloponnesian War. The Roman Republic lasted 482 years. Our democracy will probably be shorter lived than Rome's because women's suffrage ruins a society very quickly.
ReplyDelete"Most societies self-destruct eventually, so it is hard to say that if some factor was removed, the society would last forever." Quite so. I at least think there's a fairly universal correlation between certain kinds of moral degeneracy and societal collapse.
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