Today we hear so often about and discuss the " crisis of democracy ," and the reference to Plato is almost immediate for those familiar with these topics. Indeed, many recent events seem to confirm the symptoms of a degenerative trend in contemporary democracies. Just think of the assault on the United States Congress on January 6, 2021 , by a group of supporters of former President Trump to contest the results of the 2020 presidential election. This episode created an incredible media phenomenon and was defined as an attack on the most important democracy in the world.

However, in recent times, the world's largest democracy has been increasingly plagued by internal conflicts and armed clashes among its citizens. This makes the attack on the Capitoline Hill merely the tip of the iceberg of a perhaps much deeper social phenomenon, where economic inequality , racism , and extremist ideological tendencies form the backdrop. But what is the primary structural cause, the underlying yet well-hidden root cause of these events, which are also widespread in other democracies around the world? Through Plato and his conception of fourth-century Athenian democracy, I will try to provide some food for thought.

The cradle of democracy and its contradictions according to Plato

According to Plato, Athenian democracy has been plagued by internal contradictions since its origins, between what it truly is and the narrative image it presents to its citizens. The Greek polis is, in fact, constantly plagued by conflicts that call into question the democratic system itself. The city is divided not only because it is poorly governed but also because the constant incursion of its members into roles that do not belong to them creates instability: pseudo-intellectuals (the sophists) especially inflame the passions of the people, who do not follow the lucidity of reason and inevitably fall into fanaticism. Rhetoric thus guides the city with its persuasive eloquence, focusing on the public's emotions rather than on rational thought.

As if that weren't enough, the ruling classes are increasingly thirsty for power and wealth and are completely unconcerned with governing wisely and fairly. Power thus falls into the hands of those who can exploit the collective will of citizens, leveraging their frustrations, rather than arguing facts and evidence to change their opinions. All this pushes the people to surrender to the ideological allure of a demagogue, a tyrant, who makes them believe he has the right solutions to their problems.

Today's manipulation

The problems illustrated by Plato are, in some ways, very familiar to us. Even today, we see people fomenting hatred and spreading misinformation among the masses. However, most people are unaware of the true motives behind these incitements to hatred and intolerance. The instigators' goal is to manipulate others to achieve their own personal goals. Added to this is the loss of credibility of politicians and institutional authorities, which thus contributes to the emergence of distrust , irrationality , and, ultimately, nihilism among citizens.

Furthermore, today we live in a complex society, difficult to fully understand due to the enormous amount of information and news we are exposed to every day. We are catapulted into a world saturated with communication: social networks , television programs, and advertising simply fill a significant, if not total, part of our daily lives. For these reasons, too, it becomes difficult to discern the true motivations of those who communicate.

Plato's moral reform

Let's return to Plato. According to the philosopher, to prevent the social degeneration of the democratic system, there is a need for moral reform . What does this mean? It means promoting and spreading moral and civic education to ensure that the city, the polis , can properly educate its members. If citizens are selfish, greedy, and ignorant, it is because the city educates them that way. The members of a community are a reflection of the community itself. If the people are greedy and intolerant, so will their leaders be. Both are products of the educational, moral, and formative system.

Plato

Only a social and cultural reform of the city can therefore stimulate change and improvement among its citizens and its leaders. If the city follows this path, it can return to justice . Balance would consequently restore harmony to the social body. Society, from a mere sum of various individuals, becomes a community (from the Latin communĭtas – atis , meaning "commonality," of interests, goals, and well-being). Rational dialogue, in the Socratic manner, which arises from cultural learning, fosters the emergence of moral and civic virtues that, in turn, guarantee true social coexistence. This same dialogue, let us remember, should be the foundation of every true democracy. Indeed, if the inability to communicate, to understand, and to rationally process one's emotions reigns, relational discontent inevitably arises, which in turn can lead to hatred, violence, and discrimination against others.

A first step

Obviously, proposing and implementing a reform based on citizens' civic and moral education is undoubtedly a much more difficult and complex challenge today. The great diversity of opinions, new technologies , and global challenges can further complicate the situation. However, realizing that promoting a culture based on rationality , understanding, and listening can help prevent the degeneration of democracy is a first, albeit subtle, step in the right direction.

Freedom of thought, religion, and lifestyle are indeed the cornerstones of democracy, but to understand, foster, and defend them, it is necessary to promote the spread of education, culture, dialogue, and tolerance, thus ensuring the rediscovery of human history and morality . Only in this way can we recognize demagogic deceptions and defend the legitimacy of the institutions and values ​​that represent us.

Gaspare Triolo

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