Dauda Yillah: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 7 September 2024:
In his thought-provoking piece “Has Democracy Lost Its Utility?”, published just days ago in the Sierra Leone Telegraph, Abdulai Mansaray raises a critical question: “Is Trump the greatest threat to American democracy, or are those who enable him more dangerous?”
In pondering this, the only answer I’ve found leads to more questions. Have we perhaps idealised democracy too readily as the perfect form of government? In doing so, have we ignored Plato’s warnings about democracy’s inherent flaws and its potential dangers to order, peace and stability?
Plato’s views on democracy, however, must be understood in context. His disillusionment with Athenian politics, following the city’s defeat by Sparta, shaped his critique.
While many Athenians equated democracy with freedom, equality and justice, Plato saw it as a stage of societal decline; a decline so severe as to prompt his search for an ideal political system. This he envisioned as Kallipolis, a society governed by reason, free from the mob rule he saw as inherent in democracy, and led by philosopher kings who would be the guardians of peace and harmony.
Critics of Plato accuse him of harbouring totalitarian ideas, viewing The Republic as a “founding text” of totalitarianism, claiming his ideal city fails to account for the liberal political insight that “power corrupts.” Others, however, defend Plato, arguing The Republic addresses power’s corruptibility, going further by highlighting how the desire for power itself corrupts and destroys.
In The Republic, particularly in Book VIII, Plato analyses various forms of government: aristocracy, timarchy/timocracy, oligarchy, democracy and tyranny. He describes how an ideal state (Kallipolis) decays through these stages: aristocracy (rule by the best), timocracy (rule by the honourable), oligarchy (rule by the wealthy), democracy (rule by the many) and, finally, tyranny (rule by an oppressive leader).
Plato’s critique of democracy is sharp, suggesting it is only one step away from tyranny. Here’s a concise summary of his argument:
How Democracy Arises
Plato argues that democracy emerges when oligarchy collapses due to conflicts between the rich and the poor. Democracy then focuses on freedom and equality, which, though appealing, can spiral out of control.
Excessive Freedom
Plato’s chief criticism is that democracy’s greatest appeal – freedom – is also its biggest flaw. When everyone is free to do as they please, with no regard for rules or the common good, chaos ensues. People prioritize personal desires over societal well-being.
Equality Gone Awry
Plato is sceptical of the idea that all opinions are equally valid. He suggests that when society gives equal weight to all voices, bad decisions follow because not all opinions carry equal wisdom or experience.
The Slide into Tyranny
Plato contends that democracy’s excessive freedom and lack of discipline create fertile ground for tyranny. In such chaos, a charismatic leader, or demagogue, can seize power by promising to restore order, only to become a tyrant.
Democracy as a Declining State
For Plato, democracy is a step down from oligarchy, inherently unstable. Its freedoms may seem attractive, but they ultimately pave the way for the worst form of government, tyranny as he sees it.
When viewed through Plato’s lens, Trump’s presidency reveals striking parallels:
Demagoguery
Plato warned that democracy’s focus on freedom could elevate a demagogue. This is someone who appeals to emotions rather than reason. Trump’s rise reflects this, as he connected with voters by tapping into their fears and frustrations, often bypassing political norms, just as Plato cautioned.
Erosion of Norms
Plato feared democracy’s emphasis on individual desires would erode societal norms. Trump’s challenges to established norms, particularly his questioning of the electoral process and refusal to accept the 2020 election results, echo this concern, contributing to democracy’s destabilization.
Threat of Tyranny
According to Plato, the chaos of democracy can create a demand for order, allowing a demagogue to seize absolute power. Trump’s refusal to concede and his role in the events leading to the January 6th Capitol riot can be seen as an attempt to undermine democracy and cling to power. Such action Plato would likely view as a step toward tyranny.
Public Division
Plato noted that democracy fosters divisions, making it vulnerable to decline. During Trump’s presidency, the U.S. became deeply polarized, with Trump both reflecting and exacerbating these divisions, aligning with Plato’s concerns about democracy’s instability.
Fortunately, American institutions resisted a descent into tyranny, but the events surrounding Trump’s presidency highlight vulnerabilities Plato identified.
The rise of modern communication technologies and the near-anarchic growth of social media have further fuelled this freedom ethos, ironically making it a recipe for chaos. In such a situation, it often seems that the most mendacious and vociferous prevail, undermining collective sanity, safety and security.
This means that to save democracy from demagoguery and tyranny, it must be constantly reshaped and reinvented, that is, and paradoxically so, both safeguarded and delimited in order to preserve its core values of freedom, fairness, equality, and justice, ensuring the just and liveable community it promises. Eternal vigilance is, therefore, key.
In this, we come full circle: perhaps the ancient Greeks are not so ancient after all.
References
- Plato, The Republic, trans. by Desmond Lee, introd. by Melissa Lane (London: Penguin Books, 2007 [1955]).
2. Karl Popper, The Open Society and Its Enemies, vol. 1: The Spell of Plato (London: Routledge, 2003 [1945]).
3. Josiah Ober, Political Dissent in Democratic Athens (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1988).
That was a good synopsis of the issue at hand. Democracy has become the collective fallacy of individual ignorance. H.L Mencken once said: “on a great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and The White House will be adorned by a downright moron”( July 26th, 1920).”Plato’s warnings about democracy’s inherent flaws and its potential dangers to order, peace and stability” have come to pass. We see freedom leading to personal desires above the societies’. Nowadays, instead of man conforming to societal norms, society is asked to bend backwards to accommodate individual whims and wishes. You are now expected to defy logic, reality and call someone something else, because that is what they identify as. All this in the name of freedom and democracy. Freedom in excess is lethal, especially when unregulated. Today, we ask for freedom but abandon the responsibilities that come with such freedom. Society is on the path to anticannibalism.