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Shkruar nga Julián López de Mesa Samudio
Plato tells us that in degenerate democracy (ochlocracy), "the people are slaves to themselves," being manipulated by demagogues who flatter them and exploit their fears and passions...
We are living in extraordinary times, there is no doubt about it. And part of the extraordinary nature of our times is that we are witnessing the end of democracy, or rather, its progressive degradation into ochlocracy, or mob rule.
As early as the 4th century BC, Plato warned sharply about the dangers of unchecked democracy. Drawing on his direct experience with Athenian democracy, the same democracy that unjustly condemned his teacher Socrates to death, Plato shows us that in degenerate democracy (ochlocracy), "the people are slaves to themselves," manipulated by demagogues who flatter them and exploit their fears and passions.
According to the theory of the social cycle proposed by the Roman historian Polybius in the 2nd century BC, forms of government follow a predictable cycle where each type of regime degenerates over time to be replaced by another. The cycle begins with monarchy, understood as the rule of a single just and virtuous individual, which inevitably degenerates into tyranny or an autocratic and corrupt regime.
This tyranny is overthrown by aristocracy, or rule by the best based on merit, which eventually also corrupts itself to become an oligarchy, or a minority that rules in their own interest. Eventually, a democracy arises, where the people share power equally. But over time, this regime degenerates, in turn, into ochlocracy, the irrational rule of the mob, guided by the passions of the moment, charlatanism, and disorder.
Degraded popular power
This theory profoundly influenced Western political thought, inspiring authors such as the Italian Machiavelli and the 18th-century Frenchman Montesquieu, as well as the founders of modern democracies who sought to design political systems that would avoid both tyranny and ochlocracy.
Ochlocracies in many Western democracies are characterized by a popular government that is transcending itself to become the uncontrolled power of the masses, driven by emotions, populist leaders who claim to represent the will of the people entirely, and momentary or occasional pressures. In this degraded form of popular government, decisions are not based on rational debate or respect for the legal framework, but instead emerge from the emotional pressure, manipulation, and imposition of a majority without checks and balances.
This dynamic fosters short-termism, exacerbates social polarization, and weakens institutions. When power is supported by persistent popular agitation, leaders are often driven to act by a recurring need to gain legitimacy based on a plebiscite-based democracy. And while this creates the illusion of complete identification between the leader and the people, it is a dynamic that fosters short-termism, exacerbates social polarization, and weakens institutions. Rather than strengthening civic participation, it distorts it, promoting collective decisions influenced by prejudice and misinformation. Mass manipulation thus becomes easier, while public trust in democracy itself is undermined.
A thin line
The 20th-century Italian strongman Benito Mussolini and his contemporary, the German dictator Adolf Hitler, effectively used collective emotions, social frustration, and wounded nationalism to mobilize the masses and consolidate totalitarian regimes. In both cases, the popular mobilization was not spontaneous but carefully orchestrated, taking advantage of the institutional vacuum and discretion of parliamentary democracy.
The January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by supporters of outgoing Republican President Donald Trump, who refused to accept the certified election results, is a good example of how ochlocracy can erupt even in consolidated democracies.
Healthy democracies develop citizens who can understand the complexities of power. There is a fine line between democracy and ochlocracy, and crossing it depends not only on institutions but also on the political culture of citizens. To avoid falling into ochlocratic chaos, it is essential to strengthen civic education, a free press, and rational debate.
Healthy democracies are not those that simply allow voting, but those that develop citizens who can understand the complexities of power, respect the law, and resist emotional manipulation. The republican tradition insists on the need for structures that check the excesses of any group, whether an oligarchic minority or a passionate majority.
The Constitution, the rule of law and the separation of powers are not obstacles to the power of the people: They are the conditions that make it possible and sustainable./ Adapted from "Pamphlet" by "EL ESPECTADOR"
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