Inferiors revolt in order that they may be equal, and equals that they
may be superior. Such is the state of mind which creates
revolutions. The motives for making them are the desire of gain and
honor, or the fear of dishonor and loss; the authors of them want to
divert punishment or dishonor from themselves or their friends. The
causes and reasons of revolutions, whereby men are themselves affected
in the way described, and about the things which I have mentioned,
viewed in one way may be regarded as seven, and in another as more
than seven. Two of them have been already noticed; but they act in a
different manner, for men are excited against one another by the
love of gain and honor- not, as in the case which I have just
supposed, in order to obtain them for themselves, but at seeing
others, justly or unjustly, engrossing them. Other causes are
insolence, fear, excessive predominance, contempt, disproportionate
increase in some part of the state; causes of another sort are
election intrigues, carelessness, neglect about trifles, dissimilarity
of elements.
III
What share insolence and avarice have in creating revolutions, and
how they work, is plain enough. When the magistrates are insolent
and grasping they conspire against one another and also against the
constitution from which they derive their power, making their gains
either at the expense of individuals or of the public.
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