In proportion as the mass of citizens who possess political rights increases, and the number of elected ruler’s increases, the actual power is concentrated and becomes the monopoly of a smaller and smaller group of individuals.

Paul Lafargue
About This Quote

In the course of human history, the number of men who have been called rulers has always been small. Consequently, the great mass of citizens has, in practice, possessed little political power. This fact, however, did not prevent them from believing that they did have political power. For example, the Athenians believed that they had political power because they were represented in the assembly of citizens by two hundred members.

But this number was far too small to permit the selection of a ruler. The Athenians were wrong.

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