Aristotle's Criticism of Democracy

Platonic and Aristotelian critique of democracy is predicated on the idea that everybody has or can have relatively easily the qualities that are necessary to participate in a rule. For Plato, it's more important that the citizens all have certain capabilities than it is that they all participate. Conversely, the Athenian Democrat argues that you don't need a whole lot of capability to be an effective participant in Athenian democracy. If you can row a tri-ream or if you can pay for a hoplite kit, good enough. You can participate in the defense of the city. And if you can defend the city, then you deserve a right to vote about what wars you fight in and