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Single Idea 1541

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / a. Nature of democracy ]

Full Idea

Poverty in a democracy is as preferable to what is called prosperity under autocracy as freedom is to slavery.

Gist of Idea

It is better to be poor in a democracy than be rich without freedom

Source

Democritus (attrib) (reports [c.250 BCE], B251), quoted by John Stobaeus - Anthology 3.40.42

Book Ref

'The First Philosophers', ed/tr. Waterfield,Robin [OUP 2000], p.191


The 24 ideas from 'reports'

Be virtuous from duty, not from fear [Democritus (attr)]
It is a great thing, when one is in adversity, to think of duty [Democritus (attr)]
Repentance of shameful deeds is salvation [Democritus (attr)]
The wrongdoer is more unfortunate than the person wronged [Democritus (attr)]
Reason is a more powerful persuader than gold [Democritus (attr)]
Good breeding in men means having a good character [Democritus (attr)]
Virtue doesn't just avoid evil, but also doesn't desire it [Democritus (attr)]
Good and true are the same for everyone, but pleasures differ [Democritus (attr)]
Immoderate desire is the mark of a child, not an adult [Democritus (attr)]
Virtuous love consists of decorous desire for the beautiful [Democritus (attr)]
Only accept beneficial pleasures [Democritus (attr)]
It is better to have one intelligent friend than many unintelligent [Democritus (attr)]
Beauty is merely animal without intelligence [Democritus (attr)]
A bad life is just a drawn-out death [Democritus (attr)]
One must avoid even speaking of evil deeds [Democritus (attr)]
The great pleasures come from the contemplation of noble works [Democritus (attr)]
We should only choose pleasures which are concerned with the beautiful [Democritus (attr)]
Moderation brings more pleasures, and so increases pleasure [Democritus (attr)]
It is as brave to master pleasure as to overcome the enemy [Democritus (attr)]
The endless desire for money is a crueller slavery than poverty [Democritus (attr)]
Virtue comes more from practice than from nature [Democritus (attr)]
Behave well when alone, and feel shame in you own eyes [Democritus (attr)]
It is better to be poor in a democracy than be rich without freedom [Democritus (attr)]
Small appetite makes poverty equal to wealth [Democritus (attr)]