But if the men of property in the state are but
few, and their property is large, then an oligarchy of the second sort
will take place; for those who have most power will think that they
have a right to lord it over the others; and, to accomplish this, they
will associate to themselves some who have an inclination for public
affairs, and as they are not powerful enough to govern without law,
they will make a law for that purpose. And if those few who have large
fortunes should acquire still greater power, the oligarchy will then
alter into one of the third sort; for they will get all the offices of
the state into their own hands by a law which directs the son to
succeed upon the death of his father; and, after that, when, by means
of their increasing wealth and powerful connections, they extend still
further their oppression, a monarchical dynasty will directly succeed
wherein men will be supreme, and not the law; and this is the fourth
species of an oligarchy correspondent to the last-mentioned class of
democracies.
CHAPTER VII
There are besides two other states, a democracy and an oligarchy, one
of which all speak of, and it is always esteemed a species of the four
sorts; and thus they reckon them up; a monarchy, an oligarchy, a
democracy, and this fourth which they call an aristocracy. There is
also a fifth, which bears a name that is also common to the other
four, namely, a state: but as this is seldom to be met with, it has
escaped those who have endeavoured to enumerate the different sorts of
governments, which [1293b] they fix at four only, as does Plato in his
Republic.
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