Project Gutenberg #6762
Politics: A Treatise on Government
Aristotle
350 BCEAristotle's treatise on constitutions and civic life, prepared introduction plus book-and-chapter sections from Project Gutenberg plaintext.
Project Gutenberg #6762 Public domain in the United States Cover source Local typographic cover created for MojiMori from public-domain source metadata
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AI Summary
Chapter 49 — Book IV, Chapter V Central question What is oligarchy really? Main argument The chapter similarly distinguishes species of oligarchy by property threshold and office access. Aristotle shows that...
Of the different species of oligarchies one is, when the right to the
offices is regulated by a certain census; so that the poor, although the
majority, have no share in it; while all those who are included therein
take part in the management of public affairs. Another sort is, when
[1292b] the magistrates are men of very small fortune, who upon any
vacancy do themselves fill it up: and if they do this out of the
community at large, the state approaches to an aristocracy; if out of
any particular class of people, it will be an oligarchy. Another sort of
oligarchy is, when the power is an hereditary nobility. The fourth is,
when the power is in the same hands as the other, but not under the
control of law; and this sort of oligarchy exactly corresponds to a
tyranny in monarchies, and to that particular species of democracies
which I last mentioned in treating of that state: this has the
particular name of a dynasty. These are the different sorts of
oligarchies and democracies.
It should also be known, that it often happens that a free state, where
the supreme power is in the laws, may not be democratic, and yet in
consequence of the established manners and customs of the people, may
be governed as if it was; so, on the other hand, where the laws may
countenance a more democratic form of government, these may make the
state inclining to an oligarchy; and this chiefly happens when there
has been any alteration in the government; for the people do not easily
change, but love their own ancient customs; and it is by small degrees
only that one thing takes place of another; so that the ancient laws
will remain, while the power will be in the hands of those who have
brought about a revolution in the state.