more from Alexis de Tocqueville

Single Idea 22682

[catalogued under 24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / d. Representative democracy]

Full Idea

Universal suffrage is by no means a guarantee of the wisdom of the popular choice.

Gist of Idea

Universal suffrage is no guarantee of wise choices

Source

Alexis de Tocqueville (Democracy in America (abr Renshaw) [1840], 1.11)

Book Reference

Tocqueville,Alexis de: 'Democracy in America (abridged)', ed/tr. Renshaw,Patrick [Wordsworth 1998], p.83


A Reaction

This was precisely Plato's fear about democracy. There seems no way at all of preventing the people from electing representatives on superficial grounds of personality.