Using Democracy Against Itself: Demagogic Rhetoric as an Attack on Democratic Institutions

Abstract

he aspirants to tyranny are either the principalmen of the state, who in democracies are demagogues and in oligarchies members of ruling houses, or those who hold great offices, and have a long tenure of them. ~ Aristotle, The Politics Politicians who emerge from democratic practices can then work to undo democratic institutions. This was true in the rise of fascism in the 1920s and 1930s, as well as during the spread of communism in the 1940s, and indeed in the new wave of authoritarian regime changes of the 21st century. Indeed, absent a truly decisive revolution, which is a rare event, a regime change depends upon such people-regime changers-emerging in one system and transforming it into another. ~ Timothy Snyder, "Donald Trump and the New Dawn of Tyranny"