2nd Am Rev —> Quotes frm the FFathers & ‘Mobocracy’ book

@@@@@@@@@@@ FF and Mobocracy Quotes @@@@@@@@@@

James Madison:

“Democracies have ever been spectacular spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security, of the rights of property, and have in general, been short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths close.”

James Madison in Federalist paper # 10:

“…. democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths. A Republic, by which I mean a government in which the scheme of representation takes place, opens a different prospect and promises the cure for which we are seeking.

John Quincy Adams:

“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide. It is in vain to say that democracy is less pain, less proud, less selfish, less ambitious, or less avaricious than aristocracy or monarchy. It is not true, in fact, and nowhere appears in history.

Those passions are the same in all men, under all forms of simple government, and when unchecked, produce the same effects of fraud violence and cruelty. The experience of all former ages has shown that of all human governments, democracy was the most unstable, fluctuating and short-lived.”

Excerpts from book “Mobocracy”

 

This is never worked throughout history because “the people, in their busy lives, have neither the time nor the inclination to study and know the issues.” Coupled with the propensity for individuals to only participate in politics for selfish interests, and not for the common good, various expressions of democracy have failed miserably and led to tyranny, as seen in the Greek city-states.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle tells us in his book Polico “that man is by nature a political animal” and if not checked by the temperance of his ways will reap a society where “everyone” {?CK original Xerox of book}…He wants and towards whatever and he happens to crave”.

This principle would apply to the manipulated masses as well as to the dictator, the tyrant, and the oligarch who controls and rules with money and power.

Like Thomas Jefferson, Aristotle realized that 51%, or the majority, of the people, could be as foolish, selfish, and tyrannical as any oligarch or dictator.

My own text: The FF knew the very troubling history of direct democracy in ancient Greek and Roman city-states, which included organized abuses of government power that led to mob rule, anarchy, and finally ending in tyranny under an oligarchy.

James Madison once again stresses republicanism in Federalist paper number 39, explaining in no uncertain terms what a republic is:

We may define a republic to be a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of people … administered by persons holding their office during a limited period, or during good behavior.

It is essential [that] government be derived from the great body of society, not from an inconsiderable proportion of the favored class … otherwise, a handful of tyrannical nobles will exercise their oppression by a delegation of their powers …