Democracy requires information. Plato knew that informed

Mary Beard, the historian who listens to the voices of the ancients, once declared with noble clarity: “Democracy requires information. Plato knew that informed decision-making requires knowledge.” In these few words she binds the wisdom of the past to the perils of the present. For democracy is not sustained by passion alone, nor by the mere counting of votes, but by knowledge—knowledge of truth, of justice, of what is and what must be. Without information, the people are blind; and a blind people, though free, stumble into the chains of ignorance and tyranny.

The origin of this teaching lies in the philosophy of Plato, who in his Republic warned against the rule of the ignorant many, swayed by rhetoric and deception. He compared such citizens to prisoners in a cave, mistaking shadows for reality. To govern justly, he argued, one must rise from opinion to knowledge, from illusion to truth. Mary Beard, reflecting on this ancient warning, reminds us that modern democracies are no different. For when citizens decide without information, they are like those in the cave, reaching for shadows and mistaking them for the light.

History bears witness to this eternal law. Consider the downfall of the Athenian democracy during the Peloponnesian War. Swayed by demagogues, misled by false reports, the citizens chose reckless expeditions and silenced wiser voices. Their votes were free, yet their freedom was undermined by ignorance. In the end, their decisions brought ruin to their city. This is precisely what Beard warns us of: decision-making without knowledge is disaster dressed in the robes of freedom.

But history also offers brighter examples. The American Revolution was not born of passion alone, but of pamphlets, debates, and information spread among the people. Thomas Paine’s Common Sense stirred the colonies not by empty slogans, but by arguments grounded in reason and knowledge. The people, informed and awakened, rose to demand liberty with understanding of what it meant. Here we see the truth of Beard’s words: where knowledge flourishes, democracy breathes deeply and grows strong.

The meaning of this teaching is therefore both urgent and timeless. Democracy requires information because freedom without truth is fragile. Passion without knowledge is dangerous. When citizens choose without understanding, they can be deceived by tyrants, swayed by lies, or lulled into apathy. But when they are informed, when they have knowledge, their freedom becomes strong, their choices wise, and their voices true. Plato knew this, and the ages have proven him right.

The lesson for us is clear: if we would guard our democracies, we must guard our knowledge. We must seek truth diligently, test the words of leaders, and question what is told to us. We must read, study, listen, and learn—not for the sake of pride, but for the sake of freedom itself. For ignorance is the ally of tyranny, but knowledge is the shield of the free.

Practical actions flow naturally: read beyond headlines, seek multiple sources, and weigh evidence before judgment. Encourage education, not only for the young but for all ages, for democracy is not preserved by a single generation, but by every citizen in every era. Support libraries, schools, and institutions that nourish the mind. And when confronted with lies, do not spread them, but counter them with truth. For every act of learning is an act of defense for freedom.

So let Mary Beard’s words resound across the generations: “Democracy requires information. Plato knew that informed decision-making requires knowledge.” Hold this truth as a sacred charge. For in the union of democracy and knowledge lies the strength of nations, and in their separation lies their downfall. Be seekers of truth, lovers of wisdom, and guardians of knowledge—and thus you will be protectors of freedom itself.