BOOK VI - CHAPTER III

________________________________________________
_ In the next place we must inquire how this equality is to be procured.
Shall the qualifications be divided so that five hundred rich should
be equal to a thousand poor, or shall the thousand have equal power
with the five hundred? or shall we not establish our equality in this
manner? but divide indeed thus, and afterwards taking an equal number
both out of the five hundred and the thousand, invest them with the
power of creating the magistrates and judges. Is this state then
established according to perfect democratical justice, or rather that
which is guided by numbers only? For the defenders of a democracy say,
that that is just which the majority approve of: but the favourers of
an oligarchy say, that that is just which those who have most approve
of; and that we ought to be directed by the value of property. Both
the propositions are unjust; for if we agree with what the few propose
we erect a tyranny: for if it should happen that an individual should
have more than the rest who are rich, according to oligarchical
justice, this man alone has a right to the supreme power; but if
superiority of numbers is to prevail, injustice will then be done by
confiscating the property of the rich, who are few, as we have already
said. What then that equality is, which both parties will admit, must
be collected from the definition of right which is common to them
both; for they both say that what the majority of the state approves
of ought to be established. Be it so; but not entirely: but since a
city happens to be made up of two different ranks of people, the rich
and the poor, let that be established which is approved of by both
these, or the greater part: but should there be opposite sentiments,
let that be established which shall be approved of by the greater
part: but let this be according to the census; for instance, if there
should be ten of the rich and twenty of the poor, and six of the first
and fifteen of the last should agree upon any measure, and the
remaining four of the rich should join with the remaining five of the
poor in opposing it, that party whose census when added together
should determine which opinion should be law, and should these happen
to be equal, it should be regarded as a case similar to an assembly or
court of justice dividing equally upon any question that comes before
them, who either determine it by lot or some such method. But
although, with [1318b] respect to what is equal and just, it may be
very difficult to establish the truth, yet it is much easier to do
than to persuade those who have it in their power to encroach upon
others to be guided thereby; for the weak always desire what is equal
and just, but the powerful pay no regard thereunto. _

Read next: BOOK VI: CHAPTER IV

Read previous: BOOK VI: CHAPTER II

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