Syzyfowa polityka
Sisyphus politics

Summary/Abstract: The article examines the durability of the democratic state governed by the rule of law from the perspective of long-term historical processes. It assumes that modern democracies remain subject to mechanisms of oligarchization and power concentration that have characterized political systems throughout history. The aim of the article is to analyze the role of political and economic elites as a factor in the self-regeneration of political system crises. Drawing on theories developed by Peter Turchin, Robert Michels, and Walter Scheidel, the study explores mechanisms such as wealth concentration, elite overproduction, and growing inequality as structural sources of systemic instability. The analysis leads to the conclusion that the democratic state governed by the rule of law is neither a natural nor a permanent condition, but rather a political project requiring constant maintenance. Historical evidence suggests that the loss of balance between elite interests and the social condition of lower strata triggers processes that ultimately result in systemic crises. The preservation of democratic stability thus resembles a Sisyphean effort, demanding continuous institutional oversight and restraint of power concentration.

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