Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War gives us one of the earliest accounts of the follies of democracy.  In the wake of a series of defeats on the Peloponnese, the charismatic and popular Athenian general, Alcibiades, called for a campaign against Sicily.  For several reasons the campaign was a bad idea, but the Athenians were yearning for a quick victory and a chance to feel good about being Athenian. Within the course of a single speech, Alcibiades gave the people what they wanted, and the assembly enthusiastically embraced his proposal for war and a chance to redeem Athens’ image. The