This statement was made by Plato and relates to his observations relating to the development of a state over time. In general Plato was referring to the fact that in order to achieve the freedoms a Democracy demands a strong leader is required who has the ability to unite separate and diverse interests into a common goal. However this type of individual inevitable becomes a tyrant.
Looking at his description of how such a person would act it would almost appear that the US has skipped the Democracy part and went straight from a Republic giving way to a tyranny. According to Plato, a tyrant sees plots everywhere, surrounds himself with sycophants and yes men but at the same time trusts no one. He presents himself as being better than everyone else and works to prevent anyone from appearing to be, or actually being, more intelligent that they conceive themselves to be. Ironically Plato believed that although in a pure Democracy the general populace would hate the wealthy this person often comes from that part of the populace. Basically according to Plato this type of person lives a mean and selfish life where everything is focused on him and although he appears to speak to the common good his desires are anything but that. The main way to prevent this is a strong Constitution governing the country however it must be guarded as a tyrant will attempt to claim the power to overturn it or state that he is above both it and the law of the land.
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This statement was made by Plato and relates to his observations relating to the development of a state over time. In general Plato was referring to the fact that in order to achieve the freedoms a Democracy demands a strong leader is required who has the ability to unite separate and diverse interests into a common goal. However this type of individual inevitable becomes a tyrant.
Looking at his description of how such a person would act it would almost appear that the US has skipped the Democracy part and went straight from a Republic giving way to a tyranny. According to Plato, a tyrant sees plots everywhere, surrounds himself with sycophants and yes men but at the same time trusts no one. He presents himself as being better than everyone else and works to prevent anyone from appearing to be, or actually being, more intelligent that they conceive themselves to be. Ironically Plato believed that although in a pure Democracy the general populace would hate the wealthy this person often comes from that part of the populace. Basically according to Plato this type of person lives a mean and selfish life where everything is focused on him and although he appears to speak to the common good his desires are anything but that. The main way to prevent this is a strong Constitution governing the country however it must be guarded as a tyrant will attempt to claim the power to overturn it or state that he is above both it and the law of the land.
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