more from Seneca the Younger

Single Idea 13557

[catalogued under 24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / f. Against democracy]

Full Idea

Human concerns are not so happily arranged that the majority favours the better things.

Gist of Idea

Unfortunately the majority do not tend to favour what is best

Source

Seneca the Younger (On the Happy Life [c.60], §02)

Book Reference

Seneca: 'Dialogues and Essays', ed/tr. Davie,John [Penguin 2007], p.86


A Reaction

On the whole Seneca is unimpressed by democracy, as people are rushed into decisions by the crowd, and live to regret them.

Related Ideas

Idea 2823 The many may add up to something good, even if they are inferior as individuals [Aristotle]

Idea 2826 Like water, large numbers of people are harder to corrupt than a few [Aristotle]