The chief foundations of all states, new as well as old or composite, are good laws and good arms.
Niccolo MachiavelliRead
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until a majority of voters discover that they can vote themselves largess out of the public treasury.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Democracy is unsustainable if voters learn to exploit it for personal gain.
This quote suggests that a democracy is vulnerable to decline when the majority of its citizens begin to realize they can use their voting power to benefit themselves financially at the expense of the public treasury. It highlights the potential for self-interest to corrupt the integrity of democratic governance and warns of the need for responsible citizenship and awareness of the implications of one's choices in a democratic system.
Themes
DemocracyGovernmentVotersPublic TreasuryMajoritySelf-Interest
In practice
Example use cases
During a political debate, emphasizing the importance of responsible voting.
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