Itispossibletoconceiveapeoplenotsubdividedintoanycastesorscaleofranks;inwhichthelaw，recognizingnoprivileges，shoulddivideinheritedpropertyintoequalshares;
butwhich，atthesametime，shouldbewithoutknowledgeandwithoutfreedom。Noristhisanemptyhypothesis:adespotmayfindthatitishisinteresttorenderhissubjectsequalandtoleavethemignorant，inordermoreeasilytokeepthemslaves。
Notonlywouldademocraticpeopleofthiskindshowneitheraptitudenortasteforscience，literature，orart，butitwouldprobablyneverarriveatthepossessionofthem。Thelawofdescentwouldofitselfprovideforthedestructionoffortunesateachsucceedinggeneration;andnewfortuneswouldbeacquiredbynone。Thepoorman，withouteitherknowledgeorfreedom，wouldnotsomuchasconceivetheideaofraisinghimselftowealth;andtherichmanwouldallowhimselftobedegradedtopoverty，withoutanotionofself—defence。Betweenthesetwomembersofthecommunitycompleteandinvincibleequalitywouldsoonbeestablished。
Noonewouldthenhavetimeortastetodevotehimselftothepursuitsorpleasuresoftheintellect;butallmenwouldremainparalyzedbyastateofcommonignoranceandequalservitude。WhenIconceiveademocraticsocietyofthiskind，I
fancymyselfinoneofthoselow，close，andgloomyabodes，wherethelightwhichbreaksinfromwithoutsoonfaintsandfadesaway。Asuddenheavinessoverpowersme，andIgropethroughthesurroundingdarkness，tofindtheaperturewhichwillrestoremetodaylightandtheair。