Liberal democracy was based on new techniques—expertise—such as representation, divide-and-rule, and the channeling of self-interest. Ancient lawmakers did not often employ these techniques. The civic friendship that Aristotle claims was ancient lawmakers’ highest aim seems opposed to these techniques, particularly to the techniques’ presuppositions of self-interest and individualism. And yet, when we look closely at the factors Aristotle says contribute to civic friendship, we find that liberal democracies have achieved several of these and found substitutes for others. The new political techniques, seemingly inimical to friendship, have helped modern democracies to achieve civic friendship. I further argue that civic friendship faced steep challenges in its ancient context. Paradoxically, ancient polities had the ideal of civic friendship while rarely achieving it; modern democracies often have the reality of civic friendship without recognizing it as our ideal.