The principle, narrowed a little, gives
another form of oligarchy; until at length we reach the most
cliquish and tyrannical of them all, answering to the extreme
democracy, which, being the worst, requires vigilance in proportion to
its badness. For as healthy bodies and ships well provided with
sailors may undergo many mishaps and survive them, whereas sickly
constitutions and rotten ill-manned ships are ruined by the very least
mistake, so do the worst forms of government require the greatest
care. The populousness of democracies generally preserves them (for
e state need not be much increased,since there is no necessity tha
number is to democracy in the place of justice based on proportion);
whereas the preservation of an oligarchy clearly depends on an
opposite principle, viz., good order.
VII
As there are four chief divisions of the common people-
husbandmen, mechanics, retail traders, laborers; so also there are
four kinds of military forces- the cavalry, the heavy infantry, the
light armed troops, the navy. When the country is adapted for cavalry,
then a strong oligarchy is likely to be established. For the
security of the inhabitants depends upon a force of this sort, and
only rich men can afford to keep horses. The second form of
oligarchy prevails when the country is adapted to heavy infantry;
for this service is better suited to the rich than to the poor.
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