"Democracy, then, in the centralizing, pattern-making,
absolutist shape which we have given to it is,
it is clear, the time of tyranny's incubation."
by:
Bertrand de Jouvenel
(1903-1987) French philosopher, political economist, and futurist
Source:
Du Pouvoir. Histoire naturelle de sa croissance [1945] (Paris: Hachette, 1972), p. 36; English translation: On Power: The Natural History of Its Growth (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1993), p. 15.
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Reader comments about this quote:
The next thing is when we all are required to wear GWB armbands (or, for the mentally challenged, headbands) at all times - except when in the shower. It is when in the shower we must all sing "Hail to the Chief!"
 -- George, Ohio     
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    Once centralized in pattern-making, democracy is absolute tyranny.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    The mystery of iniquity doth already work. Even then, it is now made obvious. Especially through the denominational religious system in the U.S. We see and hear today, their ignorant so-called sharing of our Liberty with islam. sharing nothing more than the misery and conflict brought about, and through the pervading evil of democracy. A cambium secondary growth of unnatural order, the invasive species of ivy chocking our Tree of Liberty ! There are many secondary growths, they only wishing to add another. Semper FI
     -- Ronw13, Yachats Or     
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    I desire, to draw the parallel, positive correlation, between simplicity and (eloquence, goodly words ). To be said of democracy their glorying is not good. " Your glorying is not good. Know ye not a little leaven leavened the whole lump ? " We are an unleavened Republic. " The unleavened bread of sincerity and truth ". This spoken by our Defensive Representative. Paul. " be ye followers of me " spoken 13 times within those 13 letters. which give to us understanding=13 of Rebellion ! See the foot print in the sand ? That is one of the biggest !
     -- Ronw13, Yachats Or     
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    The token is on the page. it accompanies the words upon the page in the form of symbols.
     -- Ronw13, Yachats Or     
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    What keeps a democracy in check? The US House of Representatives of the Legislative Branch was to be the 'democratic' voice representing the People at large; the Senate was to be the voice of the land owners (i.e. 'aristocratic') -- electors for governor and president are limited to land owners to protect their property from being voted away by the masses. The Executive Branch represents the monarchical form -- commander-in-chief. The Jury is/was the check on the Legislative Branch. A partisan Judicial Branch in office for life is a crack in the Liberty Bell. The only thing that really protects the individual (read: the People) is our Declaration of Independence and Constitution with Bill of Rights. As long as these ideals live within the People, ever reminded by the honored parchments under glass and in every oath of office or trust, Liberty has its foundation. It must live within the hearts and minds of the People, no paper can protect us from ourselves...
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    Democracy is quite redeeming when self-awareness is revealed.  In the vision of of the rule of the people you must simply have people.  The vast populous cannot claim people status simply because they have not earned  this highly qualified station.
     -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown     
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    Sillik, the sound association or word "people" is defined as an aggregate of single genus Homo sapiens, or a specific primate variant “human”. Please redefine the term "people" so that we may understand your status and vision use. Please enlighten us as to your school of glory that we may see how a highly qualified station may be earned (what are the steps?).
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    Oh, Lord.  So 'people' are not people?  There is no way to rationalize with an ungrounded mind. 

    Fred, you are in your own world.  If you truly wish to be understood, you're going to have to use words with meanings commonly used. 

    I do think you are touching upon something profound but are unable to express it because you use words that have common meanings to mean something else. 

    Your posts may sound philosophical and reasonable to you, but for the rest of us, we respond to the common meaning of the words you use and therefore do not actually get what you are trying to say. 

    If you want to be understood in France, you have to speak in French, not Sanskrit.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    'Democracy' has been getting a lot of play recently.  Somehow the world thinks that the US is a democracy and that all the world should be democracies, maybe even one world government democracy.  ;-)

    Just another sad example of the deliberate dumbing down of Americans in the progressive movement towards supremacy of the State. 

    Statism in all its forms (i.e. socialism, communism, fascism, dictatorship, monarchy, empire) is absolutely anathema to liberty and a republican form of government founded upon the natural-born and inalienable rights of We the People.

    The view that We the People everywhere are born free and without obligation to the state is is what America is supposed to export, not to import global statism.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    We have juvenile delinquents and they don't hold the earned status of people.  The world of reality has little regard in the violent atmosphere of convention. People are people, Mr Archer but people are mature, cooperative, constructive, creative, developmental, this we simply don't have in the conventional arrangement.
     -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown     
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    Mr Archer the status and label of people, like anything of value, must be earned.
     -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown     
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    Mr Mike Norwalk again, the status and label of people, like anything of value, must be earned.
     -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown     
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