________________________________________________
_ Having established these particulars, we come to consider next the
different number of governments which there are, and what they are;
and first, what are their excellencies: for when we have determined
this, their defects will be evident enough.
It is evident that every form of government or administration, for the
words are of the same import, must contain a supreme power over the
whole state, and this supreme power must necessarily be in the hands
of one person, or a few, or many; and when either of these apply their
power for the common good, such states are well governed; but when the
interest of the one, the few, or the many who enjoy this power is
alone consulted, then ill; for you must either affirm that those who
make up the community are not citizens, or else let these share in the
advantages of government. We usually call a state which is governed by
one person for the common good, a kingdom; one that is governed by
more than one, but by a few only, an aristocracy; either because the
government is in the hands of the most worthy citizens, or because it
is the best form for the city and its inhabitants. When the citizens
at large govern for the public good, it is called a state; which is
also a common name for all other governments, and these distinctions
are consonant to reason; for it will not be difficult to find one
person, or a very few, of very distinguished abilities, but almost
impossible to meet with the majority [1279b] of a people eminent for
every virtue; but if there is one common to a whole nation it is
valour; for this is created and supported by numbers: for which reason
in such a state the profession of arms will always have the greatest
share in the government.
Now the corruptions attending each of these governments are these; a
kingdom may degenerate into a tyranny, an aristocracy into an
oligarchy, and a state into a democracy. Now a tyranny is a monarchy
where the good of one man only is the object of government, an
oligarchy considers only the rich, and a democracy only the poor; but
neither of them have a common good in view. _
Read next: BOOK III: CHAPTER VIII
Read previous: BOOK III: CHAPTER VI
Table of content of Treatise on Government
GO TO TOP OF SCREEN
Post your review
Your review will be placed after the table of content of this book
