A true democracy, in the strict sense of a people that governs itself perfectly, has never existed and never will, because it contradicts the natural order, is practically impossible for the many to administer, and inevitably shifts power to smaller, more efficient bodies.

By Jean-Jacques Rousseau, from Du contrat social

Key Arguments

  • Rousseau asserts categorically: 'If we take the term in the strict sense, there never has been a real democracy, and there never will be,' denying both historical and future realization.
  • He grounds this in a purported law of nature: 'It is against the natural order for the many to govern and the few to be governed,' implying that large numbers are ill-suited to ruling.
  • He stresses the practical impossibility of constant popular self-government: 'It is unimaginable that the people should remain continually assembled to devote their time to public affairs,' highlighting the time and attention such a regime would demand.
  • He notes that once the people 'set up commissions for that purpose' of managing affairs, 'the form of administration' is necessarily 'changed,' meaning democracy, strictly speaking, ceases to exist.
  • He articulates a general principle of institutional drift: 'when the functions of government are shared by several tribunals, the less numerous sooner or later acquire the greatest authority, if only because they are in a position to expedite affairs, and power thus naturally comes into their hands,' showing how even nominally democratic arrangements concentrate power over time.

Source Quotes

A people that would never misuse governmental powers would never misuse independence; a people that would always govern well would not need to be governed. If we take the term in the strict sense, there never has been a real democracy, and there never will be. It is against the natural order for the many to govern and the few to be governed.
If we take the term in the strict sense, there never has been a real democracy, and there never will be. It is against the natural order for the many to govern and the few to be governed. It is unimaginable that the people should remain continually assembled to devote their time to public affairs, and it is clear that they cannot set up commissions for that purpose without the form of administration being changed.
It is against the natural order for the many to govern and the few to be governed. It is unimaginable that the people should remain continually assembled to devote their time to public affairs, and it is clear that they cannot set up commissions for that purpose without the form of administration being changed. In fact, I can confidently lay down as a principle that, when the functions of government are shared by several tribunals, the less numerous sooner or later acquire the greatest authority, if only because they are in a position to expedite affairs, and power thus naturally comes into their hands.
It is unimaginable that the people should remain continually assembled to devote their time to public affairs, and it is clear that they cannot set up commissions for that purpose without the form of administration being changed. In fact, I can confidently lay down as a principle that, when the functions of government are shared by several tribunals, the less numerous sooner or later acquire the greatest authority, if only because they are in a position to expedite affairs, and power thus naturally comes into their hands. Besides, how many conditions that are difficult to unite does such a government presuppose!

Key Concepts

  • If we take the term in the strict sense, there never has been a real democracy, and there never will be.
  • It is against the natural order for the many to govern and the few to be governed.
  • It is unimaginable that the people should remain continually assembled to devote their time to public affairs, and it is clear that they cannot set up commissions for that purpose without the form of administration being changed.
  • I can confidently lay down as a principle that, when the functions of government are shared by several tribunals, the less numerous sooner or later acquire the greatest authority, if only because they are in a position to expedite affairs, and power thus naturally comes into their hands.

Context

Central portion of Book III, Chapter IV, where Rousseau defines 'democracy' strictly as direct popular government and then argues for its nonexistence and instability based on both natural and institutional considerations.