This most often happens after a revolution: for governments do
not change at once; at first the dominant party are content with
encroaching a little upon their opponents. The laws which existed
previously continue in force, but the authors of the revolution have
the power in their hands.
VI
From what has been already said we may safely infer that there are
so many different kinds of democracies and of oligarchies. For it is
evident that either all the classes whom we mentioned must share in
the government, or some only and not others. When the class of
husbandmen and of those who possess moderate fortunes have the supreme
power, the government is administered according to law. For the
citizens being compelled to live by their labor have no leisure; and
so they set up the authority of the law, and attend assemblies only
when necessary. They all obtain a share in the government when they
have acquired the qualification which is fixed by the law- the
absolute exclusion of any class would be a step towards oligarchy;
hence all who have acquired the property qualification are admitted to
a share in the constitution. But leisure cannot be provided for them
unless there are revenues to support them. This is one sort of
democracy, and these are the causes which give birth to it.
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