ولهذا كانت هذه الديمقراطيات دائماً مشاهد للاضطراب والتنازع، وثبت دائماً أنها لا تتفق مع الأمن الشخصي أو حقوق الملكية، وكانت في العموم قصيرة العمر بقدر ما كانت عنيفة في نهايتها. وقد ظن ساسة نظريون، ممن أيّدوا هذا النوع من الحكم، خطأً أنهم بإرجاع البشر إلى مساواة تامة في حقوقهم السياسية، سيتساوون في الوقت نفسه تماماً في ممتلكاتهم وآرائهم وأهوائهم.

“Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths. Theoretic politicians, who have patronized this species of government, have erroneously supposed that by reducing mankind to a perfect equality in their political rights, they would, at the same time, be perfectly equalized and assimilated in their possessions, their opinions, and their passions.”James Madison — The Fœderalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favor of the New Constitution, as Agreed Upon by the Fœderal Convention, September 17, 1787. Reprinted from the Original Text. With an Historical Introduction and Notes (1864)