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Single Idea 19990

[filed under theme 25. Social Practice / B. Equalities / 2. Political equality ]

Full Idea

Democracy is corrupted in two ways: when it loses the spirit of equality, and when the spirit of equality becomes extreme, that is, when everyone wishes to be the equal of those he has chosen to command him.

Gist of Idea

Democracy is corrupted by lack of equality, or by extreme equality (between rulers and ruled)

Source

Baron de Montesquieu (The Spirit of the Laws (rev. 1757) [1748], 08.02)

Book Ref

Montesquieu,Baron de: 'Selected Political Writings', ed/tr. Richter,Melvin [Hackett 1990], p.161

A Reaction

The latter seems to be what happens when a referendum is called (as in Brexit 2016). The winners come to despise the elected representatives, if the latter disagree with the outcome.

The 16 ideas with the same theme [equality of involvement in running society]:

22550 It is dreadful to neither give a share nor receive a share [Aristotle]
22568 Faction is for inferiors to be equal, and equals to become superior [Aristotle]
22569 The Heraeans replaced election with lot, to thwart campaigning [Aristotle]
19990 Democracy is corrupted by lack of equality, or by extreme equality (between rulers and ruled) [Montesquieu]
19857 All citizens are eligible for roles in the state, purely on the basis of merit [Mirabeau/committee]
22671 Equality can only be established by equal rights for all (or no rights for anyone) [Tocqueville]
4491 In modern society virtue is 'equal rights', but only because everyone is zero, so it is a sum of zeroes [Nietzsche]
20940 Perfect political equality requires economic equality [Gramsci]
23416 Political involvement is needed, to challenge existing practices [Habermas, by Kymlicka]
6478 Democracy is opposed to equality, if the poor are not a majority [Nagel]
3273 Equality nowadays is seen as political, social, legal and economic [Nagel]
3274 Equality can either be defended as good for society, or as good for individual rights [Nagel]
20592 Complex equality restricts equalities from spilling over, like money influencing politics and law [Walzer, by Tuckness/Wolf]
18633 Equal opportunities seems fair, because your fate is from your choices, not your circumstances [Kymlicka]
18634 Equal opportunity arbitrarily worries about social circumstances, but ignores talents [Kymlicka]
20503 Political equality is not much use without social equality [Wolff,J]