The best man, then, must legislate, and laws must be…
““The best man, then, must legislate, and laws must be passed, but these laws will have no authority when they miss the mark, though in all other cases retaining their authority. But when the law cannot determine a point at all, or not well, should the one best man or should all decide? According to our present practice assemblies meet, sit in judgment, deliberate, and decide, and their judgments an relate to individual cases. Now any member of the assembly, taken separately, is certainly inferior to the wise man. But the state is made up of many individuals. And as a feast to which all the guests contribute is better than a banquet furnished by a single man, so a multitude is a better judge of many things than any individual.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Collective decision‑making outperforms single authority when complex judgments are required, though individual expertise still matters.
In simple terms: Groups decide better than one person for many issues.
Key Takeaway
Rely on diverse input for complex decisions.
Themes
governance
collective wisdom
decision making
authority
individual vs group
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- legislative bodies
- judicial panels
- corporate boards
- community councils
Key Concepts
political theory
deliberative democracy
wisdom of crowds
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance expertise with collective input?
- When should a single expert override the group?
A Different Perspective
Individual expertise may be ignored in large groups.