Plato Is My Friend, But Truth Is

People Do Not Naturally Become Morally Excellent Or Practically Wise. They Become So, If At All, Only As The Result Of Lifelong Personal And Community Effort.

Good Laws, If They Are Not Obeyed, Do Not Constitute Good Government.

The Perversions Are As Follows: Of Royalty, Tyranny; Of Aristocracy, Oligarchy; Of Constitutional Government, Democracy.

Moral Qualities Are So Constituted As To Be Destroyed By Excess And By Deficiency . . .

A Tyrant Must Put On The Appearance Of Uncommon Devotion To Religion. Subjects Are Less Apprehensive Of Illegal Treatment From A Ruler Whom They Consider God-fearing And Pious. On The Other Hand, They Do Less Easily Move Against Him, Believing That He Has The Gods On His Side.