Why did athenians feel that democracy could easily be threatened?

Athenians believed democracy could easily be threatened due to the potential for tyranny and mob rule, where passionate citizens could sway public opinion and decisions. The experience of past oligarchic coups made them wary of any concentration of power. Additionally, the reliance on public assemblies and direct participation meant that uninformed or emotional decisions could undermine rational governance. Consequently, they sought safeguards like ostracism to mitigate these threats and protect their democratic system.