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Notes -
But is it downstream from the culture of the people or the culture of the elites? These are two very different things.
Arguably, democracy is merely a way for people to have some influence on which elites are in power.
Was for a few brief instances in history before the elites learned to either control elections or, later on, to transfer power from elected offices to non-elected ones that were more controllable.
I mean to say that democracy does not usually change which elites are in power, because power has been migrated to where democracy cannot easily meddle with it.
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