In ancient times, the great thinkers did not easily subscribe ro democracy dismissing it as a riotous rule by the masses Plato dissapproved of democracy. He cautioned that if all the people would rule, those of low quality would dominate the state by mere superiority in numbers. He expressed the fear that the more numerous masses would govern with meanness and usher the "Tyranny of the majority.
" Plato predicted that democracies would be shortlived, as the mob would infuitably surrender it''s power to a single tyrant and put an end to popular government. Plato''s propecy did not come to pass, democracy meandered through the middle ages in europe, which elevated the importance of the equality of all men and sparked a revival of interest in democracy. It migrated to U.S of America whose founding fathers espoused it''s liberal ideas.
In the philippines, democracy and suffrage had a glacial growth until the onset of American rule at the dawn of the 20th century. Power was dispersed horizontally across the archipelago but concentrated vertically: these well oiled machines are run by politically skilled leaders of elite families and by " new men from less wealthy and less known families who have the necessary savvy for the age of mass electoral politics.