Page - 1257 - in The Complete Plato
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How?
The good which oligarchy proposed to itself and the means by which it was
maintained was excess of wealth—am I not right?
Yes.
And the insatiable desire of wealth and the neglect of all other things for
the sake of money-getting were also the ruin of oligarchy?
True.
And democracy has her own good, of which the insatiable desire brings her
to dissolution?
What good?
Freedom, I replied; which, as they tell you in a democracy, is the glory of
the State—and that therefore in a democracy alone will the freeman of nature
deign to dwell.
Yes; the saying is in everybody’s mouth.
I was going to observe, that the insatiable desire of this and the neglect of
other things introduce the change in democracy, which occasions a demand
for tyranny.
How so?
When a democracy which is thirsting for freedom has evil cup-bearers
presiding over the feast, and has drunk too deeply of the strong wine of
freedom, then, unless her rulers are very amenable and give a plentiful
draught, she calls them to account and punishes them, and says that they are
cursed oligarchs.
Yes, he replied, a very common occurrence.
Yes, I said; and loyal citizens are insultingly termed by her “slaves” who
hug their chains, and men of naught; she would have subjects who are like
rulers, and rulers who are like subjects: these are men after her own heart,
whom she praises and honors both in private and public. Now, in such a State,
can liberty have any limit?
Certainly not.
By degrees the anarchy finds a way into private houses, and ends by getting
among the animals and infecting them.
How do you mean?
I mean that the father grows accustomed to descend to the level of his sons
1257
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book The Complete Plato"
The Complete Plato
- Title
- The Complete Plato
- Author
- Plato
- Date
- ~347 B.C.
- Language
- English
- License
- PD
- Size
- 21.0 x 29.7 cm
- Pages
- 1612
- Keywords
- Philosophy, Antique, Philosophie, Antike, Dialogues, Metaphysik, Metaphysics, Ideologie, Ideology, Englisch
- Categories
- Geisteswissenschaften
- International