Thus far I have shown the existence of forms of states other than
monarchy, democracy, and oligarchy, and what they are, and in what
aristocracies differ from one another, and polities from
aristocracies- that the two latter are not very unlike is obvious.
IX
Next we have to consider how by the side of oligarchy and
democracy the so-called polity or constitutional government springs
up, and how it should be organized. The nature of it will be at once
understood from a comparison of oligarchy and democracy; we must
ascertain their different characteristics, and taking a portion from
each, put the two together, like the parts of an indenture. Now
there are three modes in which fusions of government may be
affected. In the first mode we must combine the laws made by both
governments, say concerning the administration of justice. In
oligarchies they impose a fine on the rich if they do not serve as
judges, and to the poor they give no pay; but in democracies they give
pay to the poor and do not fine the rich. Now (1) the union of these
two modes is a common or middle term between them, and is therefore
characteristic of a constitutional government, for it is a combination
of both. This is one mode of uniting the two elements. Or (2) a mean
may be taken between the enactments of the two: thus democracies
require no property qualification, or only a small one, from members
of the assembly, oligarchies a high one; here neither of these is
the common term, but a mean between them.
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