In the French "Reign of Terror" those people who wanted democracy and rebelled against the King to gain individual rights and freedoms ended up creating an environment that brutally slaughtered thousands of people (typically by cutting off their heads with the guillotine). Is this not evidence that rule by the 'people' is actually dangerous? Is it not better to have a strong central authority that controls the nation instead of hundreds of "free thinking" people who cannot handle power and authority and end up just wanting to kill or punish those who disagree with them? Are humans - without someone to control them - going to end up viciously and brutally persecuting or killing one another? Has not history proven this over and over (Reign of Terror, Bolshevik Revolution of Russia, Communist Revolution of China, etc., etc.). Doesn't the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror show that true democracy - "rule by the people" is not a good thing?  Why or why not?

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