LightNews LightNews
jack774.bsky.social
@jack774.bsky.social
120 followers 1.7K following 0 posts
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted
lukesteuber.com
I think about this chart a lot. It’s not perfect, but for 160 BCE it ain’t bad. I think we are speeding down that last slope rn
The image is a diagram illustrating the “Cycles of Political Revolution,” based on the concept of Anacyclosis from Polybius’ Histories (~160 BCE). It depicts the progression and degeneration of political systems in a cyclical pattern: 1. Monarchy (Rule by One) – Originating with a ruler chosen for reason and leadership qualities, leading to despotism. 2. Tyranny (Rule by Cruelty and Oppression) – Resulting from the abuse of power, eventually collapsing due to a revolution of the nobles. 3. Aristocracy (Rule by Nobility) – A government formed by noble elites, which can devolve into corruption. 4. Oligarchy (Rule by the Powerful Rich) – A corrupted aristocracy, leading to discontent and a people’s revolution. 5. Democracy (Rule by Many) – A system prioritizing popular rule but susceptible to populism. 6. Demagogy (Appeals to Fears, Prejudice, and Emotions) – A degeneration of democracy influenced by moral panic and manipulation. 7. Ochocracy (Rule by Mobs) – A chaotic and unstable state, which reverts to tyranny as order collapses. The diagram connects these stages with red and black lines, showing their flow and the events (despotism, corruption, revolutions, moral panic, chaos) that trigger transitions.
November 18, 2024 at 6:22 PM