I can't imagine looking at Republican Rome or any of the tyrants in the ancient world and thinking they're better.

The Republic fell because a bunch of senators were too greedy and refused to do basic land reform or anything else to make life better for anyone other than themselves.

There's no shortage of absolutely insane tyrants that made people's lives miserable.

Switzerland has direct democracy and seems to go fine with it.

its a much less severe response than there would gave been, compared to say, ottawabs torching the trucks along with anyone in them