Here then, so to speak, are
opened the very springs and fountains of revolution; and hence arise
two sorts of changes in governments; the one affecting the
constitution, when men seek to change from an existing form into
some other, for example, from democracy into oligarchy, and from
oligarchy into democracy, or from either of them into constitutional
government or aristocracy, and conversely; the other not affecting the
constitution, when, without disturbing the form of government, whether
oligarchy, or monarchy, or any other, they try to get the
administration into their own hands. Further, there is a question of
degree; an oligarchy, for example, may become more or less
oligarchical, and a democracy more or less democratical; and in like
manner the characteristics of the other forms of government may be
more or less strictly maintained. Or the revolution may be directed
against a portion of the constitution only, e.g., the establishment or
overthrow of a particular office: as at Sparta it is said that
Lysander attempted to overthrow the monarchy, and King Pausanias,
the Ephoralty. At Epidamnus, too, the change was partial. For
instead of phylarchs or heads of tribes, a council was appointed;
but to this day the magistrates are the only members of the ruling
class who are compelled to go to the Heliaea when an election takes
place, and the office of the single archon was another oligarchical
feature.
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