Tag: 4th c. BCE

Controversies

The Demagogues of Ancient Athens

The phenomenon of unscrupulous politicians stoking tensions in society for their own ends is as old as democracy itself. By John Leonard – “[T]he main cause of the overthrow of democracies is the outrageous behavior of demagogues.’  Aristotle, Politics I.1304b.20 As ancient Athens moved away from kingship and Archaic-era tyranny […]