Plato asked thusly concerning Liberty, “Can liberty have any limit? Certainly not! For by degrees will anarchy find its way into private houses, wherein the son is not on the level with his father, having no respect or reverence for either of his parents for this is his freedom. While other citizens will chafe impatiently at the least touch of authority, for they will have no one over them — and such is the beginnings out of which springs tyranny, whereby Liberty overmasters Democracy as excessive increase of anything causes a reaction in the opposite direction. For an excess of liberty, whether it be in the states or in individuals seems only to pass into an excess of slavery, thus it is that tyranny arises out of Democracy’s excesses – and the most extreme form of tyranny – arises from of the most extreme form of Liberty.”
Plato also declared that when the people have no experience running a government, they will invariably follow the example of their preceding leaders by yielding to avarice and spend the city’s wealth until the public treasury is empty. After which, they will vote to take money from the rich, and thus it is that the insatiable desire of rulers brings Democracy to it’s dissolution, for its leaders will deprive the rich of their estates and distribute them among the people, while at the same time taking care to reserve the larger portion for themselves; thereby compelling those whose property has been taken from them to defend themselves, as they best can.
He then explained how unrestrained passions will lead to financial irresponsibility with not enough money to go around, thereby causing the bickering and fighting that leads to social chaos and anarchy, during which time the populous will begin to look for a saviour who will resolve their dilemma, and lead them back to a state of security and prosperity again.
He went on to say “ Thus comes the tyrant who, during the early days of his power, is full of smiles and will salute every one whom he meets, making promises in public, and in private liberating debtors, while distributing land to the people and his followers. And, wanting to be seen as kind and good to everyone is the root from which a tyrant springs. For, when he first appears he is perceived as being a protector, and hinting at the abolition of debts and a further partition of lands he begins to make a party against the rich so that they may be impoverished by the payment of taxes. And, being thus compelled, the rich will devote themselves to their daily wants and less likely to conspire against him. But, when a man who is wealthy is also accused of being an enemy of the people, seeing this he will flee, and not be ashamed to called a coward”
Plato further declared that “The Protector” will then yield himself to avarice, and use his newly acquired power to target his political opponents, and having a mob at his disposal he shall not be restrained from shedding the blood of his kinsmen. As by the method of false accusations will he bring them into court and murder them causing the life of many to disappear. And then, with unholy tongue and lips having tasting the blood of his fellow citizen, if any of them are suspected of entertaining notions of freedom, or resistance to his authority, he will use this suspicion as a pretext to destroy them.”
Plato then asked the following question: “How then does a protector begin to change into a tyrant? First he begins to grow unpopular, after which will come his request for a bodyguard (which is the standard device of all those who have gotten thus far in their tyrannical career) saying, “Let not the people’s friend be lost to them” to which the people will readily assent, as all their fears will be for him, not for themselves, but the protector of whom I speak is the over thrower of many, because standing up in the chariot of state with the reins of power in his hands, he is no longer protector, but a tyrant absolute, as the lion and the serpent within him continues to grows and gains strength.”
Plato also described by what means a tyrant would keep power saying, “The tyrant must be continually be getting up a war or causing some other form of unrest in order that the people may require a leader”
American President James Madison warned of this threat during the Constitutional Convention on June 29, 1787 (Source: Max Farrand’s “Records of the Federal Convention of 1787)” vol. I (1911, p. 465) saying thusly, “In a time of actual war great discretionary powers are vested to the Executive Magistrate, whereby the constant apprehension of war has a tendency to render the head too large for the body. Thus, a standing military force coupled with an overgrown Executive will not long be the companions of liberty. For the means of our defense against a foreign danger has always been the threat of tyranny at home, where as an example among the ancient Emperor’s of Roman it was a standing maxim to excite a war whenever a revolt was apprehended in the populace, and throughout all the nations of Europe standing armies were kept up under the pretext of defending the people have likewise always been used as the instrument to enslave the people as well.”
President Madison further declared in the “Federalist No. 47” (Jan. 30, 1788) saying “The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive and judiciary when concentrated in the same hands, whether it be of one, the few, or the many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective – may justly be defined as being the very definition of tyranny.”
