The framers of the Constitution assembled at Philadelphia in the summer of 1787 were educated students of history familiar with the philosophies of Locke, Montesquieu and Aristotle.
In 350 B.C.E., Aristotle wrote in Politics about three forms of government and how they evolve:
| Form: | Starts As: | Becomes: |
| Rule by One | Monarchy | Tyranny |
| Rule by Few | Aristocracy | Oligarchy |
| Rule by Many | Polity | Democracy |
Aristotle had some interesting warnings about “Democracy”:
- The poor can outvote the wealthy and ruin a state by overtaxing the rich and confiscating their property. In other words, a democracy could easily become a tyranny with many heads.
- There is the potential for demagogues in a democracy. Demagogues are power-seekers who gain influence by appealing to the emotions of the people.
But he also concluded that when everyone participates: ” …Each of them by himself may not be of a good quality; but when they all come together it is possible that they may surpass…the quality of the few best.”
Vote!