Again, there have been laws which enjoin the
preservation of the original lots. Such a law existed in the island of
Leucas, and the abrogation of it made the constitution too democratic,
for the rulers no longer had the prescribed qualification. Again,
where there is equality of property, the amount may be either too
large or too small, and the possessor may be living either in luxury
or penury. Clearly, then, the legislator ought not only to aim at
the equalization of properties, but at moderation in their amount.
Further, if he prescribe this moderate amount equally to all, he
will be no nearer the mark; for it is not the possessions but the
desires of mankind which require to be equalized, and this is
impossible, unless a sufficient education is provided by the laws. But
Phaleas will probably reply that this is precisely what he means;
and that, in his opinion, there ought to be in states, not only
equal property, but equal education. Still he should tell precisely
what he means; and that, in his opinion, there ought to be in be in
having one and the same for all, if it is of a sort that predisposes
men to avarice, or ambition, or both. Moreover, civil troubles
arise, not only out of the inequality of property, but out of the
inequality of honor, though in opposite ways. For the common people
quarrel about the inequality of property, the higher class about the
equality of honor; as the poet says,
The bad and good alike in honor share.
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