Vindication of Natural Society Hogeye Condensed Version
page 15
  • Thus aristocracy is even worse than despotism. (And despotism, as we've already seen, is worse than Natural Society.)









  • Next we examine democracy.




  • Democracy - "the People transact all publick Business, or the greater Part of it, in their own Persons: their Laws were made by themselves"








  • The democracy of Athens. How it degraded into tyranny and slavery: "An artful Man became popular." Democracy puts people at the mercy of demogogues.
Thus, my Lord, we have pursued Aristocracy through its whole Progress; we have seen the Seeds, the Growth, and the Fruit. It could boast none of the Advantages of a Despotism, miserable as those Advantages were, and it was overloaded with an Exuberance of Mischiefs, unknown even to Despotism itself. In effect, it is no more than a disorderly Tyranny. This Form therefore could be little approved even in Speculation, by those who were capable of thinking, and could be less borne in Practice by any who were capable of feeling.

However, the fruitful Policy of Man was not yet exhausted. He had yet another Farthing-candle to supply the Deficiencies of the Sun. This was the third Form, known by political Writers under the Name of Democracy. Here the People transacted all publick Business, or the greater Part of it, in their own Persons: their Laws were made by themselves, and upon any Failure of Duty, their Officers were accountable to themselves, and to them only. In all appearance, they had secured by this Method the Advantages of Order and good Government, without paying their Liberty for the Purchace.

Now, my Lord, we are come to the Master-piece of Grecian Refinement, and Roman Solidity, a popular Government. The earliest and most celebrated Republic of this Model, was that of Athens. It was constructed by no less an Artist, than the celebrated Poet and Philosopher, Solon. But no sooner was this political Vessel launched from the Stocks, than it overset, even in the Lifetime of the Builder. A Tyranny immediately supervened; not by a foreign Conquest, not by Accident, but by the very Nature and Constitution of a Democracy. An artful Man became popular, the People had Power in their Hands, and they devolved a considerable Share of their Power upon their Favourite; and the only Use he made of this Power, was to plunge those who gave it into Slavery.

ToAnarchPg Vindication of Natural Society