To some people the word aristocracy, when not understood, often sounds very unpleasant, but the real aristocracy is not necessarily the picture of its abuse, its degeneration. And what is democracy?

• Democracy is the fulfillment of aristocracy.
• In other words democracy means complete aristocracy. But when democracy is sought without aristocracy having been understood, then democracy cannot be fully understood either, for then it is not complete.
• Man is born in this world ignorant of the kingdom which is within himself, and true aristocracy is the attainment of that kingdom.
• To recognize that kingdom in another person is aristocracy, and
• to see the possibility of that kingdom in oneself and to try to fulfil that ideal of life is true democracy.
• Aristocracy means that one person is king,
• democracy means that all are kings; but when a person does not know one king, he does not know all kings.
• What I mean by this is that we should realize that the object of life does not lie in revolting against someone who is more advanced than ourselves, and by this revolt pulling him down to our own level -- that is not democracy.
• Real democracy means recognizing the possibility of advancing just as others have done, trusting in that possibility, and trying to advance to the same level as that of the others.