Despotism easily creeps in through the overwhelming desire of the people to be equal in all things whether they are all the same in greatness or in slavery. As long as the appearance of uniformity presents itself, the people are mollified and content. This is further demonstrated in the next paragraph where he writes that though the people love freedom and will “dash towards it with rapid impulse and sudden effort”, equality will always be “the principle and continuous object of their desire” (52). This sentiment is due largely in fact to the lack of any sort of aristocratic element. Within an aristocratic society, there is always a set of distinct and concrete interests and virtues that are promulgated clearly. The aristocrats hold much of the power and thus the direction the populace is expected to go is nearly set in stone. In order to keep their prestige and position, nothing can be left to
Despotism easily creeps in through the overwhelming desire of the people to be equal in all things whether they are all the same in greatness or in slavery. As long as the appearance of uniformity presents itself, the people are mollified and content. This is further demonstrated in the next paragraph where he writes that though the people love freedom and will “dash towards it with rapid impulse and sudden effort”, equality will always be “the principle and continuous object of their desire” (52). This sentiment is due largely in fact to the lack of any sort of aristocratic element. Within an aristocratic society, there is always a set of distinct and concrete interests and virtues that are promulgated clearly. The aristocrats hold much of the power and thus the direction the populace is expected to go is nearly set in stone. In order to keep their prestige and position, nothing can be left to