Well, you can also loose a democracy by governing so ineptly that the country falls apart or gets invaded. Also, Plato foresaw democracy descending to the point

Well, you can also loose a democracy by governing so ineptly that the country falls apart or gets invaded. Also, Plato foresaw democracy descending to the point where people elected a dictator to bring order to the chaos, although that's covered in your post. If the population cannot/will not distinguish reality from what they wish were reality (a disease afflicting both the American left and the right, although in different areas), then the chances of inept leadership or believing the lies of leftist authoritarians or rightist authoritarians increases.