"We have in this very short fragment the quintessence of Romanian democracy or, rather, of the impossibility of Romanian democracy. Democratic ideals, on an empty stomach, give rise to all sorts of authoritarian neo-feudalisms. For thousands of years we have known from Plato that democracy is fragile and can always descend into tyranny. The philosopher likens it to the situation where the father - the state - lets the children go too free and, inevitably, the older ones end up beating the younger ones. He left us a great lesson in political philosophy as a legacy. We should treat it with a little more care."
Plato of course was a proponent of the notion of Philosopher Kings who would rule the population from Nocturnal Councils.
He hated democracy for what it did to Socrates and really was a sophist at heart.
His ideas have been taken up by the no deceased Leo Strauss, darling of the neo cons who believe as Plato, that rule must be done by a dictatorship.
Perhaps Voltaire was right:
"The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination." -Voltaire
"We have in this very short fragment the quintessence of Romanian democracy or, rather, of the impossibility of Romanian democracy. Democratic ideals, on an empty stomach, give rise to all sorts of authoritarian neo-feudalisms. For thousands of years we have known from Plato that democracy is fragile and can always descend into tyranny. The philosopher likens it to the situation where the father - the state - lets the children go too free and, inevitably, the older ones end up beating the younger ones. He left us a great lesson in political philosophy as a legacy. We should treat it with a little more care."
Plato of course was a proponent of the notion of Philosopher Kings who would rule the population from Nocturnal Councils.
He hated democracy for what it did to Socrates and really was a sophist at heart.
His ideas have been taken up by the no deceased Leo Strauss, darling of the neo cons who believe as Plato, that rule must be done by a dictatorship.
Perhaps Voltaire was right:
"The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination." -Voltaire