TCF Quoteboard: Aristotle on the Weakening of Democracy

The wisdom of the ancients is ever-relevant here at The Charcoal Fire. Here, we turn to Aristotle, who shows two threats to democracy – we have encountered both, I think.

… democracy not only becomes weaker when [its principle of equality is] relaxed so that finally it leads to oligarchy but also the principle is too rigidly applied.

Aristotle
—On Rhetoric, trans. George Kennedy
(Oxford, 1991)