Freddy Apfelheim (@wormintheapple)

If you let children vote on the running of the household, they wouldn't affirm the authority of their parents. They would forbid punishments, demand unaffordable indulgence, veto adult wisdom, and enslave their parents to their childish whims, bringing ruin upon the household and themselves. There's no cosmic democratic force that makes things work out for the best when you grant everyone power. Power can only be shared with great caution. Hierarchies must be built and maintained carefully, with love of truth and fear of God. What were the greatest democratic states? Rome and the USA. When were their democracies healthy? When the franchise was limited to loyal men of good character and shared race, elites feeling the urge to dominate had other men to enslave than citizens, and the central activity of the state was the successful conquest and exploitation of new lands. Both became corrupt, false democracies when further conquest became difficult and slow. Democracy is natural to raiders and pirates, settlers and gold rushers. There must be something external and plentiful to devour together, for capable men to so easily agree on how to cooperate and share out profits. Even limited-franchise democracy is only situationally functional.