Prev | Current Page 188 | Next

Aristotle

"Politics"

e., (B 1
c) from all, to some offices by vote, to some by lot, and (B 2 C) from
some, to some offices by vote, to some by lot. Thus the modes that
arise, apart from two (C, 3) out of the three couplings, number
twelve. Of these systems two are popular, that all should appoint from
all (A 1 a) by vote or (A 1 b) by lot- or (A 1 c) by both. That all
should not appoint at once, but should appoint from all or from some
either by lot or by vote or by both, or appoint to some offices from
all and to others from some ('by both' meaning to some offices by lot,
to others by vote), is characteristic of a polity. And (B 1 c) that
some should appoint from all, to some offices by vote, to others by
lot, is also characteristic of a polity, but more oligarchical than
the former method. And (A 3 a, b, c, B 3 a, b, c) to appoint from
both, to some offices from all, to others from some, is characteristic
of a polity with a leaning towards aristocracy. That (B 2) some should
appoint from some is oligarchical- even (B 2 b) that some should
appoint from some by lot (and if this does not actually occur, it is
none the less oligarchical in character), or (B 2 C) that some
should appoint from some by both. (B 1 a) that some should appoint
from all, and (A 2 a) that all should appoint from some, by vote, is
aristocratic.
These are the different modes of constituting magistrates, and these
correspond to different forms of government: which are proper to
which, or how they ought to be established, will be evident when we
determine the nature of their powers.


Pages:
176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200