"Democracy will soon degenerate into an anarchy, such an anarchy that every man will do what is right in his own eyes and no man’s life or property or reputation or liberty will be secure, and every one of these will soon mould itself into a system of subordination of all the moral virtues and intellectual abilities, all the powers of wealth, beauty, wit and science, to the wanton pleasures, the capricious will, and the execrable cruelty of one or a very few."
by:
John Adams
(1735-1826) Founding Father, 2nd US President
Source:
An Essay on Man’s Lust for Power, August 29, 1763
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Reader comments about this quote:
By man's very nature, pure anarchy will never come to fruition (with a start in democracy, socialism, or otherwise). The absence of all organized relationships, involvement in human affairs and administration of rules between 2 or more people can not occur because under such adverse conditions as here described, man will resort to a pack hunter and protector.
 -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    Seems just the opposite has happened with our socialist nation.
     -- cal, lewisville, tx     
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     -- Allen, DC      
    Watching it happen right now!
     -- Mike, Pleasant Hill     
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    Democracy needed ( and still needs ) a modifier: republic. Otherwise we turn into four kids meeting in a garage, forming a club and deciding to steal gum from Old Man Smith's store. "EVERYBODY" agrees because everybody gets something out of the decision to steal ( even those who hesitate when the hands-raised vote takes place ).
     -- Bob, Charlotte, VT     
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    The Oligarchy is in full bloom with the constitution shredder residing in the White House.
     -- Mary-MI     
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     -- jim, Austin Tx      
    If only Americans knew what a republican form of government actually was ... it ain't a democracy, I'll tell you that.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    Everything that he said can be seen in some form or to some extreme in most all levels of government, cultures, and sub-cultures around the world.
    People need to wake up and look around it what is happening. 2000 years ago the collapse of a "great" society came from within but affected things on a regional level. Today we're global, if any one of todays global societies or cultures fail, if it goes to this level it will take most of the others down with it.
    How does one stop the moral decay and the violence associated with anarchy? Is it done by doing the same, only proclaiming it right by attaching a different labor to it?, I don't know?
    Adams was and is right.
     -- Eric, Lodi Ca     
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    And why the USA is a REPUBLIC...SOMETHING SO FEW ARE AWARE OF. We can thank politicians and main street media for the meme of 'the USA is a democracy'

     -- abby     
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