Many and much merge in the comparative and superlative forms, which are more and most for both determiners. It was once common to use the indefinite article with many (very a many years ago), as it still is with few (a few good men). However, this has fallen out of favor except in formations such as "a great/good many."
In early Indian cultures the needs of the many actually did outweigh the needs of the few or the one.
Who said ''The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or one ...
This saying is misquoted, try:Know many, trust few, learn to paddle your own canoe.It comes from 2 poems dated 1850's as follows:Paddle your own Canoe - anonymous, printed in the Wisconsin ...
What is the origin of love many trust few and always paddle ... - Answers
Many is an adjective, while much is an adverb. As such, many cannot modify the adjective fewer; only an adverb can modify an adjective. Much fewer is simply more correct than many fewer, despite its cacophony. Many modifies a noun: many apples. Much modifies the adjective: much fewer apples or far fewer apples.
"a few" = not very many, but at least more than one. Your examples (1) and (2) are talking about the same number of friends, but (1) focuses on the fact that this is a small number and carries a negative connotation, like you don't have as many as one should/could have.
216 days equals how many months? About seven months, give or take a few days (depends on the date you start to count the days).