I have shown already what forms of democracy are suited to
particular cities, and what of oligarchy to particular peoples, and to
whom each of the other forms of government is suited. Further, we must
not only show which of these governments is the best for each state,
but also briefly proceed to consider how these and other forms of
government are to be established.
First of all let us speak of democracy, which will also bring to
light the opposite form of government commonly called oligarchy. For
the purposes of this inquiry we need to ascertain all the elements and
characteristics of democracy, since from the combinations of these the
varieties of democratic government arise. There are several of these
differing from each other, and the difference is due to two causes.
One (1) has been already mentioned- differences of population; for the
popular element may consist of husbandmen, or of mechanics, or of
laborers, and if the first of these be added to the second, or the
third to the two others, not only does the democracy become better
or worse, but its very nature is changed. A second cause (2) remains
to be mentioned: the various properties and characteristics of
democracy, when variously combined, make a difference. For one
democracy will have less and another will have more, and another
will have all of these characteristics.
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