Chapter 1: General Idea of This Book

The corruption of each government almost always begins with that of the principles.

Chapter 2: About the Corruption of the Principle of Democracy

The principle of democracy becomes corrupt not only when some lose the spirit of equality, but also when some assume the spirit of extreme equality, and each person wishes to be equal to them that he chose to command him. For then, the people, being unable to endure even the power which they entrust, intend to do everything [by] themselves, to deliberate for the senate, to enforce for the magistrates, and to dispossess all the judges.

There can no longer be virtue in the republic. The people intend to perform the magistrates’ functions; therefore, they no longer respect them. The senate's deliberations no longer have weight; therefore, they no longer show regard for the senators and, consequently, for the elderly. Now if folk do not have respect for the elderly, neither will they have any for fathers. Husbands no more deserve deference, nor master further submission. Everyone will come to love this libertinism. The bother of commanding will fatigue, like that of obeying. Women, children, and slaves will be submissive to none. There will be no more morals, no more love of order, in sum no more virtue.

One sees in Xenophon's Symposium a most naive portrait of a republic in which the people have abused equality. Each symposiast in turn gives the reason why he is happy. “I am happy,” Charmides said, “because of my poverty. When I was rich, I was forced to pay court to villifiers, knowing full well that I was more in a position to receive evil from them than to do them any. The republic always demanded some new sum from me; I was unable to escape. Since I became poor I have acquired authority. No one threatens me; I threaten others. I can leave them or stay with them. Already the rich rise from their places and yield to my step. I am a king; I was a slave. I paid tribute to the republic; today it feeds me. I no longer fear to lose; I expect to acquire.”290

The people fall into this misfortune when they in whom the people confide, intending to hide their own corruption, seek to corrupt the people.