Full Idea
What we regard as democracy in the twenty-first century is actually elective oligarchy.
Gist of Idea
Modern democracy is actually elective oligarchy
Source
Peter Watson (Ideas [2005], Ch.06)
Book Reference
Watson,Peter: 'Ideas: from fire to Freud' [Phoenix 2006], p.171
A Reaction
Even dictatorships want to be called 'democracies'. The modern system is a bit of a concession to Plato, and he would probably have preferred it to his system, because at least the rulers tend to be more educated than the direct assembly.