Others,
however, declare the Ephoralty to be a tyranny, and find the element
of democracy in the common meals and in the habits of daily life. In
the Laws it is maintained that the best constitution is made up of
democracy and tyranny, which are either not constitutions at all, or
are the worst of all. But they are nearer the truth who combine many
forms; for the constitution is better which is made up of more
numerous elements. The constitution proposed in the Laws has no
element of monarchy at all; it is nothing but oligarchy and democracy,
leaning rather to oligarchy. This is seen in the mode of appointing
magistrates; for although the appointment of them by lot from among
those who have been already selected combines both elements, the way
in which the rich are compelled by law to attend the assembly and vote
for magistrates or discharge other political duties, while the rest
may do as they like, and the endeavor to have the greater number of
the magistrates appointed out of the richer classes and the highest
officers selected from those who have the greatest incomes, both these
are oligarchical features. The oligarchical principle prevails also in
the choice of the council, for all are compelled to choose, but the
compulsion extends only to the choice out of the first class, and of
an equal number out of the second class and out of the third class,
but not in this latter case to all the voters but to those of the
first three classes; and the selection of candidates out of the fourth
class is only compulsory on the first and second.
Pages:
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67