The word analyzed comes from the Greek and is formed by the root chlo, which means crowd, and by cratos, which is equivalent to government. Thus, in its literal sense, ochlocracy can be defined as the rule of the multitude. Ochlocracy
The Degeneration of Government Systems
In his treatise on politics , the Greek philosopher Aristotle exposed the various forms of government, as well as their corresponding degenerate versions. He pointed out that the monarchy could end up in tyranny, the aristocracy is in danger of becoming an oligarchy, and democracy into demagoguery.
One of the forms of demagoguery is more precisely the ochlocracy. In conventional demagoguery, a politician has the rhetorical ability to manipulate the people, whereas in ochlocracy it is the people who have their say and end up imposing their will. Obviously, this is not a form of government in a common sense, but a social phenomenon that manifests itself from the moment when the multitude imposes its criteria. Ochlocracy
A brief look at the power of crowds
In the realm of current democracies, political parties and institutions are not having a good time, since various sectors of the citizenry are afraid of conventional politics . Thus, in a broader way, social strata become a new actor in public life.
Thousands of deeply disenchanted people opine on all sorts of matters of general interest, although their sources of information are biased. Even without these people having a political tool to change reality , it is unquestionable that their opinions end up having a certain weight in society as a whole. It is in this social climate that the idea of ochlocracy arises.
The strength of social networks has multiplied the voice of the disenchanted popular masses
The purely visceral critical opinions, the disqualifications without any kind of argumentation and the permanent complaint to everything are some of the forms of communication that the common citizen uses to express their ideas and concerns. The problem with this social current is its irrationality. Ochlocracy
Citizens can and should participate, opine or criticize all matters of general interest, but it would be desirable for their interventions to be something greater than the simple voice of the crowd. Otherwise the ochlocracy would be present, that is, the power of the popular masses.
On occasion, this deeply disillusioned mass finds a populist ally along the way. There is no populist leader without his corresponding crowd to support him. Ochlocracy
