Again, the measures
which are taken by tyrants appear all of them to be democratic;
such, for instance, as the license permitted to slaves (which may be
to a certain extent advantageous) and also that of women and children,
and the aflowing everybody to live as he likes. Such a government will
have many supporters, for most persons would rather live in a
disorderly than in a sober manner.
V
The mere establishment of a democracy is not the only or principal
business of the legislator, or of those who wish to create such a
state, for any state, however badly constituted, may last one, two, or
three days; a far greater difficulty is the preservation of it. The
legislator should therefore endeavor to have a firm foundation
according to the principles already laid down concerning the
preservation and destruction of states; he should guard against the
destructive elements, and should make laws, whether written or
unwritten, which will contain all the preservatives of states. He must
not think the truly democratical or oligarchical measure to be that
which will give the greatest amount of democracy or oligarchy, but
that which will make them last longest. The demagogues of our own
day often get property confiscated in the law-courts in order to
please the people. But those who have the welfare of the state at
heart should counteract them, and make a law that the property of
the condemned should not be public and go into the treasury but be
sacred.
Pages:
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274