The return of the gods

I perceive a theme in public opinion these days, regarding democracy. Taki has a piece in the Spectator this week, saying that even in ancient Greece it was empire and aristocracy. Highly intelligent professionals like Don Boudreaux boast of their refusal to vote. It seems that people think the system will continue to run more or less for our benefit, even if we take no part in it; just as your local shop will always be there, even though you very rarely patronise it.

Yes, rule us as you wish, as long as our kettles and TVs work, as long as there is petrol for our cars and the trains run on time. What we want is broth for our bellies, now, like Esau.

We may have to re-learn our lessons the hard way, as Kipling warned... and Cavafy:

Without consideration, without pity, without shame
they have built big and high walls around me.

And now I sit here despairing.
I think of nothing else: this fate gnaws at my mind;

for I had many things to do outside.
Ah, why didn’t I observe them when they were building the walls?

But I never heard the noise or the sound of the builders.
Imperceptibly they shut me out of the world.