PHILELEUTHEROS; OR, CONCERNING THE PEOPLE’S WILL
“Is not this a dreadful thing, Socrates, that Balphurios has been lately doing about what he calls a Referendum?”
“What thing?” I said. “I have heard indeed lately that he has said this—that if he and his friends should be elected to sit in the Ecclesia, he will not propose a law taxing Megarian imports without first consulting the citizens; and he has invited Askoïthios to do the same thing, and not to give autonomy to the Samians without first consulting the citizens. Is that the dreadful thing?”
“So dreadful, Socrates, that even now I can scarcely believe it: for it aims at the destruction of the democracy. But I can tell him that Askoïthios will certainly not do what he is invited to do.”
“Why will he not do it?” I asked.
“Because Askoïthios knows very well already that all the citizens are in favour of giving autonomy to the Samians.”
“Well, Phileleutheros,” I said, “in that case he will do no harm by having consulted them. And does Balphurios also know what the citizens think about taxing Megarian imports?”
“Certainly: he knows that all men (except himself and his friends) abhor such a plan.”
“Then,” I said, “no harm will be done there either; for the citizens, being consulted, will say what they wish.”
“But, Socrates, it is always harmful that the citizens should be consulted. And that is why Askoïthios will not consult them.”