Over 2,000 years ago Plato predicted democracy’s downfall: His warning feels eerily familiar

Plato’s words in his seminal work The Republic are striking a chord today, as his theories on democracy and governance seem to echo in the political realities of the United States. In comparing different forms of government, Plato critiques democracy and links its historical development to revolution and ultimately tyranny. The philosopher was not convinced that democracy could endure in the long term, believing that weaknesses in its structure could lead to oppressive rule.

Of the five forms of government Plato outlines—aristocracy, timocracy, oligarchy, democracy, and tyranny—democracy ranks fourth, just above tyranny. For Plato, the best form of government is aristocracy. While that might sound elitist to modern readers, he wasn’t referring to rule by the wealthy or powerful in today’s sense, but rather to governance by the most virtuous and wise—philosopher-kings.

From oligarchy to tyranny

“Yes,” says Socrates in The Republic, “that is the nature of democracy, whether the revolution has been effected by arms, or whether fear has caused the opposite party to withdraw.” Plato sees democracy as the natural successor to oligarchy, a system in which power is concentrated in the hands of the wealthy. Socrates describes oligarchy as “a government resting on a valuation of property, in which the rich have power and the poor man is deprived of it.”

In reality, Plato suggests that most societies contain elements of several regimes. “The truth is that the State is not one, but many, like the individual,” wrote the philosopher—an argument that the State’s manifestations are likely to be diverse and overlapping in their form of governance, and will evolve as its citizens do.

Plato warns that an oligarchic society fosters competition centered on wealth, training citizens to “become lovers of money.” Over time, such a society ends up honoring the rich with political power, while “virtue and the virtuous are dishonored.”

Eventually, Socrates argues, the people will no longer tolerate this imbalance, and revolution will bring about democracy. But when the desire for freedom leads citizens to entrust its protection to the state, the system becomes vulnerable. Socrates warns of “evil cupbearers”—figures who exploit this chaos for personal gain.

When a democracy which thirsting for freedom has evil cupbearers presiding over the feast, and has drunk too deeply of the strong wine of freedom, then, unless her rulers are very amenable and give a plentiful draught, she calls them to account and punishes them, and says that they are cursed oligarchs."

Plato, The Republic

While many readers today may see reflections of our own society in Plato’s critique, it’s important to note that, in his view, part of what drives democracy toward tyranny is the breakdown of traditional hierarchies. Plato, through Socrates, observes that distinctions between young and old, father and son, master and servant begin to dissolve. When individuals prioritize personal desires over the common good, demagogues can exploit the resulting disorder.

A demagogue takes advantage of the anger and frustration produced by democracy—especially the resentment toward unjust hierarchies—and offers a vision of a better future. But once in power, the demagogue consolidates control. Though they may use the remnants of hierarchy to impose their will, even those who once held power find themselves subject to the whims of a tyrant.

“The people always have some champion whom they set over them and nurse into greatness. This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector,” Plato writes.

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