The-Conquest-of-Happiness-by-Bertrand-Russell

The slaves may possibly have hated their masters,
though this did not happen nearly so universally as
democratic theory would have us suppose. But
even if they did hate their masters, their masters
remained unaware of this fact, and the masters at
any rate were happy. With the general acceptance
of democratic theory all this was changed: slaves
who had acquiesced before ceased to acquiesce;
masters who had formerly had no doubts as to their
rights became hesitant and uncertain. Friction
arose and caused unhappiness on both sides. I am
not saying all this as an argument against
democracy, for the troubles in question are only
such as are inevitable in any important transition.
But it is no use to blink the fact that, while this
transition is in progress it makes the world
uncomfortable.
The change in the relation between parents and
children is a particular example of the general
spread of democracy. Parents are no longer sure of
their rights as against their children; children no
longer feel that they owe respect to their parents.