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Single Idea 19971

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 2. Leaders / d. Elites ]

Full Idea

Aristocratic families ought to be, as much as possible, members of the people. The more an aristocracy resembles a democracy, the more perfect it is; the more it resembles a monarchy, the more imperfect.

Gist of Idea

Aristocracy is democratic if they resemble the people, but not if they resemble the monarch

Source

Baron de Montesquieu (The Spirit of the Laws (rev. 1757) [1748], 02.03)

Book Ref

Montesquieu,Baron de: 'Selected Political Writings', ed/tr. Richter,Melvin [Hackett 1990], p.121

A Reaction

Aristocrats far from the big cities seem remarkably like the rest of the people. As soon as they approach the monarch's court, they aspire to dignity and power, and begin to spurn the citizens.

The 23 ideas with the same theme [rule of a small group, by talent, birth or wealth]:

7361 Men of the highest calibre avoid political life completely [Kongzi (Confucius)]
2132 Only rule by philosophers of integrity can keep a community healthy [Plato]
2149 Reluctant rulers make a better and more unified administration [Plato]
22542 People who buy public office will probably expect to profit from it [Aristotle]
2819 The only virtue special to a ruler is practical wisdom [Aristotle]
22552 The rich can claim to rule, because of land ownership, and being more trustworthy [Aristotle]
22583 The guardians should not be harsh to strangers, as no one should behave like that [Aristotle]
19970 If the nobility is numerous, the senate is the artistocracy, and the nobles are a democracy [Montesquieu]
19971 Aristocracy is democratic if they resemble the people, but not if they resemble the monarch [Montesquieu]
19984 Great inequality between aristocrats and the rest is bad - and also among aristocrats themselves [Montesquieu]
21092 Nobility either share in the power of the whole, or they compose the power of the whole [Hume]
19829 Natural aristocracy is primitive, and hereditary is dreadful, but elective aristocracy is best [Rousseau]
7249 Natural aristocracy is primitive, hereditary is bad, and elective aristocracy is the best [Rousseau]
19830 Large states need a nobility to fill the gap between a single prince and the people [Rousseau]
21086 Hereditary nobility has not been earned, and probably won't be earned [Kant]
22669 Aristocracy is constituted by inherited landed property [Tocqueville]
20139 Only aristocratic societies can elevate the human species [Nietzsche]
20373 A healthy aristocracy has no qualms about using multitudes of men as instruments [Nietzsche]
23200 The controlling morality of aristocracy is the desire to resemble their ancestors [Nietzsche]
20089 Technocrats may be efficient, but they lose legitimacy as soon as they do unpopular things [Reybrouck]
20088 Technocrats are expert managers, who replace politicians, and can be long-term and unpopular [Reybrouck]
20597 If winning elections depends on wealth, we have plutocracy instead of democracy [Tuckness/Wolf]
12405 'If you're aristocratic,' said Nietzsche... [Sommers,W]