The more general causes which tend
to destroy this or other kinds of government have been pretty fully
considered. In order to constitute such a democracy and strengthen the
people, the leaders have been in the habit including as many as they
can, and making citizens not only of those who are legitimate, but
even of the illegitimate, and of those who have only one parent a
citizen, whether father or mother; for nothing of this sort comes
amiss to such a democracy. This is the way in which demagogues
proceed. Whereas the right thing would be to make no more additions
when the number of the commonalty exceeds that of the notables and
of the middle class- beyond this not to go. When in excess of this
point, the constitution becomes disorderly, and the notables grow
excited and impatient of the democracy, as in the insurrection at
Cyrene; for no notice is taken of a little evil, but when it increases
it strikes the eye. Measures like those which Cleisthenes passed
when he wanted to increase the power of the democracy at Athens, or
such as were taken by the founders of popular government at Cyrene,
are useful in the extreme form of democracy. Fresh tribes and
brotherhoods should be established; the private rites of families
should be restricted and converted into public ones; in short, every
contrivance should be adopted which will mingle the citizens with
one another and get rid of old connections.
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