Part 3/5:
- Demagogy/Ochlocracy: Demagogues arise, exploiting the people's resentments, leading to mob rule and the collapse of democracy.
This cycle then repeats, with a new strongman emerging to restore order, beginning the cycle anew.
The Roman Solution
Polybius believed the Romans had found a way to break this cycle of decline. The Roman Republic had evolved a unique "mixed constitution" that blended elements of kingship, aristocracy, and democracy.
The three main branches of government - the consuls, the Senate, and the people - were interdependent and able to check each other's ambitions. This system of checks and balances, Polybius argued, allowed the Roman Republic to avoid the corrupting effects of pure forms of government.