The "Constitutional Debate" in Herodotus (Book III.80-82)

• disadvantages of monarchy:
  • monarchy is not well-adjusted (i.e. not stable)
  • one man
    
  • does what he likes
  • is not answerable
  • such power is likely to make the worthiest man go bad
  • he becomes proud and, paradoxically, envious
  • violence results
  • monarchs despise the virtuous and listen to slanderers and base people
  • worst of all, he puts aside the laws of the land
  • puts men to death without trial
  • rapes women
• advantages of rule of the many:
  • men are equal before the law
  • offices are distributed by lot
  • officers are held to account for their conduct
  • the many create the laws

• Ditto what Otanes said about monarchy
• Disadvantages of rule of the many:
  • the many have no understanding or knowledge
    • they do not know what they are doing
  • the many are wanton
  • the many have no natural sense of what is right and fit
  • the many rush into affairs like a swollen river and confuse everything
• Oligarchy is best:
  • choose the best men and they will rule with the best counsel

• Ditto what Megabyzus said on democracy
• When we take the best monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy and compare them, Monarchy is best.
  • What can be better than rule of the best man?
  • He governs the masses so that they are content
  • his measures against evil are less well-known and so more effective
• Disadvantages of Oligarchies
  • enmities arise between men who each want their own way
  • violence results
  • monarchy is the result of the strife that ensues
  • therefore, monarchy is better.
• Disadvantages of democracy
  • It is impossible to avoid malpractices
  • malpracticers create close friendships
  • then someone comes forth to champion the masses against the malpracticers
  • monarchy results
  • therefore monarchy is best
• one man led the revolt that led us to the situation we are now in.
• if something works, we ought not to change it: conservatism.