We must consider not only why the classical theory of democracy appears to be in contradiction with the observed practice, but also why the many different responses to this observation, though mutually incompatible, all share the belief that democracy is the best form of political organization.
Moses FinleyA genuinely political society, in which discussion and debate are an essential technique, is a society full of risks.
Moses FinleyIf I had to choose one which best characterized the condition of being a political leader in Athens, the word would be "tension".
Moses FinleyIt is a mark of civilised man that he seeks to understand his traditions, and to criticise them, not to swallow them whole.
Moses Finley