"Republics decline into democracies and democracies degenerate into despotisms"

Aristotle's quote is an alerting about the fragility of democracy and the potential for it to be damaged. He recommends that republics, which are based upon the guideline of law and the protection of private rights, can decline into democracies, which are based on majority guideline and the will of individuals. Democracies, however, can deteriorate into despotisms, which are ruled by a single individual or group with outright power. This is a pointer that democracy is not a fixed kind of federal government, however one that need to be actively kept and safeguarded. It is also a tip that democracy is not an assurance of flexibility and justice, however rather a system that can be corrupted and abused if not effectively handled.