THERE are five particulars in polities, which under a false appearance delude the people; these are, their public assemblies, magistracies, courts of justice, the military power, and the gymnastic exercises. They are deluded by public assemblies, in consequence of all men being permitted to attend them, but the rich only, or more than the multitude being fined for not attending. But they are deceived with respect to magistracies, because men of property are not permitted to swear off, but this permission is granted to the poor. And they are deluded with respect to courts of justice, because the rich are fined for non-attendance, but the poor not at all; or because the fine of the former is great, but of the latter small, as in the laws of Charondas. In some places, however, every citizen who is inrolled is permitted to attend the public assemblies, and to try causes; but if they are inrolled, and do neither of these, a very heavy fine is laid upon them; in order that through fear of the fine, they may avoid being inrolled, as they are then neither obliged to try causes, nor to attend the public assemblies. Laws, also, are established after the same manner with respect to the possession of arms and their gymnastic exercises. For it is lawful for the poor not to have arms, but the rich are fined if they are without them. And with respect likewise to gymnastic exercises, there is no fine for the poor if they do not attend to them, but the rich are fined if they neglect them; in order that the rich, through the fear of this penalty, may keep the one, and attend to the other, while the poor do neither. These, therefore, are the oligarchic sophisms of legislation. But in democracies, the contrary sophisms prevail. For there the poor have a salary for attending the assemblies and the courts of justice; but the rich are not fined for not attending them. Hence, it is evident, that if any one wishes to mingle these together justly, he must bring together what pertains to both, and extend to the one a reward, and to the other a fine; for thus all would share in them: whereas without this a part only will have a share. It is necessary, however, that a polity should consist of those only who bear arms; but with respect to the census, it is not easy to define simply how great it ought to be, but the quality of it being considered, it is of the greatest consequence, that those who partake of the polity, should be more in number than those that do not. For the poor, and those who do not partake of the honours of the state, wish to live quiet, unless some one acts insolently towards them, or deprives them of their property. This, however, is not easily effected. For it does not always happen that those who have a share in the administration, are men of elegant minds. And it is usual with the poor in time of war to be without alacrity, if they are not supplied with provisions. But if any one supplies them with food they are willing to fight.
In some polities, however, the power is vested not only in those who bear arms, but also in those who have borne them. But among the Malienses, the polity, indeed, consisted of the former; but the magistrates were chosen from those who had been soldiers. And the first polity in Greece after the kingly government, consisted of the military; from the beginning, indeed, of the horse; for war then possessed its strength and excellence in the horse; since the armed foot without arrangement were useless. But skill and arrangement in things of this kind, did not exist in ancient times; so that strength then consisted in the horse. When, however, cities were increased, and they were stronger in the foot soldiers, a greater number had a share in the polity. Hence, what we now call polities, were formerly called democracies. But ancient polities were reasonably oligarchies and kingdoms; for through the paucity of men, they had not many of the middle rank; so that these being but few, and having an arrangement, they more easily submitted to be governed. And thus we have shown, through what cause there are many polities, and why there are others different from those we have mentioned. For there are more democracies than one, and in a similar manner with respect to other forms of government. Farther still, we have shown what are the differences of governments, and through what cause they happen. And besides this, what is the best polity for the most part, and which of these is best adapted to particular persons.
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