A Fragile Democracy in Developing Countries

Plato says humans need a perfect state to live in. Each has to do what he is capable of doing. The state has three classes. The learned people are the philosopher-kings, the rulers. In the middle, there are the warriors who are trained to defend the state. Lastly, there are the common people who hold different professions. This state upholds justice, peace, and prosperity. Thody, there are many classes developed in modern democracies. The prominent one is bureaucracy. 

Plato believes that excessive liberty leads people to a tyrannical state. Like a body, a state has a soul. A man's soul elevation is determined by his different desires. A state's soul is determined by its ruler. A tyrant is like a damaged soul who indulges in excessive power, gain, and pleasure, and deteriorates the essence of a state. A tyrant is weak in his heart, soul, and consciousness. He becomes paranoid about his wealth, power, and status. 

The pleasure of wisdom and knowledge ensnare the desire of power and wealth. A man of knowledge doesn't desire wealth and power. He marches to the post, which is a perfect realm of forms. 

Democracy makes men timid. It allows people to rise against each other.  It gives birth to a tyrant. In all the forms of government, Plato and Socrates consider aristocracy the best form of government. Democracy, tyranny, and noble rule are against human nature and the soul. Democracy deprives human of their true essence. Just like a greedy, irrational, and ignorant soul, tyranny and democracy are harmful to human society.

Unlike Plato's description of the rulers, everyone is a philosopher king in contemporary democracies. If politicians had been there in Plato's Republic, they would have been the leftovers. 

Let me tell you about a personal experience in a democratic country. I started some social work. I realized I needed to get a registered NGO to enlighten youth, women, and everyone. I went to the social welfare department and learned the process. I prepared a bylaw and submitted it to the office of the Assistant Commissioner. It took two days to finally approve my application. This office issued three letters to the Assistant Inspector General, Senior Superintendent of Police, and Social Welfare. 

The Assistant Commissioner's office said it took months to dispatch these letters to the concerned departments. That means I need to follow everything. I took letters to all these offices and got them signed. 

It took me ten days to get a verification from the SSP office. I am coordinating with other departments for their letters. In democracies, the bureaucracy is a group of people who only do what they have been tasked to do. They serve to make tyrants in a state.

As Plato observed, in a democracy, people only serve a group of people who are already terrified and fearful. They are the weakest people who trust a few and set up severe censorship. In Plato's categorization of the nature of human beings, politicians fall into the domains of gain and fame. They are slaves of their pleasures and gains. They try to keep others ignorant of the truth by silencing people with fear and oppression. 

Money, fame, and sensual appetites weaken a soul. A state is made up of souls. Those who have a corrupt soul will corrupt and terrify the state.