whether totalitarian or 'democratic'
always involves the abuse
of influence by threat of force.
The one great argument for representative
pseudo-democracy is that
it is better to be governed by nonentities
- even by cabals and cartels of nonentities -
than by monsters.
"[the Roman emperors] frequently abused their power arbitrarily
to deprive
their subjects of property or of life:
their tyranny was extremely unpleasant for the few,
but it did not reach the masses;
... But it
would seem that if despotism were to be established
amongst the
democratic nations of our days
it might assume a different character;
it
would be more extensive and more mild,
it would degrade men without
tormenting them."
- Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, Book IV, Chapter 6.
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