History and Attributes of Democracy

Chapter X
PROTAGORAS

In Athens and many other cities, democracy was politically triumphant, but nothing had been done to diminish the wealth of those who belonged to the old aristocratic families. It was, in the main, the rich who embodied what appears to us as Hellenic culture: they had education and leisure, travel had taken the edge off their traditional prejudices, and the time that they spent in discussion sharpened their wits. What was called democracy did not touch the institution of slavery, which enabled the rich to enjoy their wealth without oppressing free citizens.

In many cities, however, and especially in Athens, the poorer citizens had towards the rich a double hostility, that of envy, and
that of traditionalism. The rich were supposed — often with justice — to be impious and immoral; they were subverting ancient
beliefs, and probably trying to destroy democracy'. It thus happened that political democracy, was associated with cultural conservatism,conservatism, while those who were cultural innovators tended to be political reactionaries.