Where some people are very wealthy and others have nothing, the result will be either extreme democracy or absolute oligarchy, or despotism will come from either of those excesses.

ὡς ὅπου οἱ μὲν πολλὰ σφόδρα κέκτηνται οἱ δὲ μηθέν, ἢ δῆμος ἔσχατος γίγνεται ἢ ὀλιγαρχία ἄκρατος, ἢ τυραννὶς δι᾽ ἀμφοτέρας τὰς ὑπερβολάς:

Aristotle

Politics

Buy Politics at Amazon Buy Politics at Amazon
Read Politics at MIT's classics department website

More information about this quote

Topic

Economic inequality Decline of democracy Tyranny

Author

Aristotle

Source

Politics

Genre

Political literature Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

350 BC 350s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Occupation

Philosopher Writer

From

Greece Europe Ancient Greece

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Aristotle. Politics. 4th century BC, bk. 4.

Current Citation

Aristotle. Politics, translated by R. F. Stalley and Sir Ernest Barker. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 4.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Aristotle about economic inequality: “Where some people are very wealthy and others have nothing, the result…”
Download
A quote by Aristotle about economic inequality: “Where some people are very wealthy and others have nothing, the result…”
Download
A quote by Aristotle about economic inequality: “Where some people are very wealthy and others have nothing, the result…”
Download

Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote by Aristotle

The basis of a democratic state is liberty.

Aristotle

Politics

Buy Politics at Amazon Buy Politics at Amazon
Read Politics at MIT's classics department website
More information about this quote
Topic
Freedom and democracy Democratic legitimacy Democracy Freedom

Author

Aristotle
Source
Politics
Genre
Political literature Philosophical literature
Language
Greek
Time
350 BC 350s BC 4th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 1
Original Citation

Aristotle. Politics. 4th century BC, bk. 6.

Current Citation

Aristotle. Politics, translated by R. F. Stalley and Sir Ernest Barker. Oxford University Press, 2009, bk. 6.

Another quote about Tyranny

Of those men who have overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun their career by paying an obsequious court to the people; commencing demagogues, and ending tyrants.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 1

Buy The Federalist Papers at Amazon Buy The Federalist Papers at Amazon
Read Federalist No. 1 at the Library of Congress website
More information about this quote
Topic
Populism Demagoguery Tyranny Decline of democracy Politics

Author

Alexander Hamilton
Source
Federalist 1 The Federalist Papers
Medium
Essay
Genre
Political literature
Language
English
Time
1787 1780s 18th century
Era
American Revolutionary Period
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Hamilton, Alexander [published as Publius]. "Federalist No. 1: General Introduction." Independent Journal, 27 Oct. 1787.

Current Citation

Hamilton, Alexander. "No. I: Deliberation on a new constitution--Hamilton." The Federalist: A Commentary on the Constitution of the United States, edited by Robert Scigliano. The Modern Library, 2001.

Another quote from Classical antiquity

Resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Jesus

Matthew 5:39

Buy the Bible (KJV) at Amazon Buy the Bible (KJV) at Amazon
Read this verse at Bible Hub
More information about this quote
Topic
Turn the other cheek Sermon on the Mount
Speaker
Jesus
Source
Gospel of Matthew The Bible
Medium
Scripture
Genre
Religious literature
Statement Type
Orders and commands
Language
Greek
Time
60 60s 1st century
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 3
Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Matthew 5:39).

Another quote originally in Greek

Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Revelation 2:10

Buy the Bible (KJV) at Amazon Buy the Bible (KJV) at Amazon
Read this verse at Bible Hub
More information about this quote
Topic
Faith
Source
Revelation The Bible
Medium
Scripture
Genre
Religious literature
Language
Greek
Time
96 90s 1st century
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 3
Citation

The Holy Bible: The King James Version. 1611. (Revelation 2:10).