From the most ancient times, and among all the nations of the earth, the relations of the rulers to the ruled have been based on violence.  But this relation, like everything else in the world, was and is continually changing.  It changes from two causes.  First, because the more secure their power becomes and the longer it lasts, the more do those in power (the leisured classes who have power) grow depraved, unreasonable and cruel, and the more injurious to their subjects do their demands become.  Secondly, because as those in power grow more depraved, their subjects see more and more clearly the harm and folly of submitting to such depraved power.

And those in power always become depraved.  Firstly, such people, immoral by nature, and preferring idleness and violence to work, having grasped power and used it to satisfy their lusts and passions, give themselves up more and more to these passions and vices.  Secondly, lusts and passions, which in the case of ordinary men cannot be gratified without meeting with obstacles, not only do not meet such obstacles and do not arouse any condemnation in the case of those who rule, but on the contrary are applauded by all who surround them.  The latter generally benefit by the madness of their masters.  And besides, it pleases them to imagine that the virtues and wisdom to which alone it is natural for reasonable men to submit are to be found in the men to whom they submit.  Therefore, the vices of those in power are lauded as if they were virtues, and grow to terrible proportions.

Consequently, the folly and vice of the crowned and uncrowned rulers of the nations have reached such appalling dimensions as were reached by the Neros, Charleses, Henrys, Louis, Johns, Peters, Catherines, and Marats.

Nor is this all.  The rulers would not do so much harm if they were satisfied with their personal debauchery and vices; but idle, satiated, and depraved men, such as rulers were and are, must have something to live for.  They must have some aims and try to attain them.  And such men can have no aim except to get more and more fame.  All other passions soon reach the limits of satiety.  Only ambition has no limits, and therefore almost all potentates strive after fame, especially military fame, the only kind attainable by depraved men unacquainted with, and incapable of, real work.  For the wars devised by the potentates, money, armies and, above all, the slaughter of men, are necessary; and in consequence of this the condition of the ruled becomes harder and harder, and at last the oppression reaches a point at which the ruled can no longer continue to submit to the ruling power, but must try to alter their relation towards it.