The Athenian Leader Who Feared the Crowd’s Applause

Phocion was elected general in ancient Athens 45 times. Yet he rarely told the public what it wanted to hear. He opposed popular wars and spending plans, earning the kind of respect people give a doctor whose advice they do not enjoy. One day, after a speech, the entire assembly applauded him without objection. According to the old account, Phocion turned to a friend and wondered whether he had said something foolish. To him, unanimous approval suggested that he had flattered the crowd instead of telling the truth. Athens later tried Phocion and sentenced him to death in 318 BC. The same city that once applauded him eventually voted against him. I think about that whenever we treat applause as proof that a leader is right. When last did a Nigerian leader tell people something they did not want to hear, and what did it cost them?

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