eserved from who live in
a communion of goods, but also the advantages they are deprived of; for
when the whole comes to be considered, this manner of life will be found
impracticable.

We must suppose, then, that Socrates's mistake arose from the principle
he set out with being false; we admit, indeed, that both a family and a
city ought to be one in some particulars, but not entirely; for there
is a point beyond which if a city proceeds in reducing itself to one, it
will be no longer a city.

There is also another point at which it will still continue to be a
city, but it will approach so near to not being one, that it will be
worse than none; as if any one should reduce the voices of those who
sing in concert to one, or a verse to a foot. But the people ought to
be made one, and a community, as I have already said, by education;
as property at Lacedsemon, and their public tables at Crete, were made
common by their legislators. But yet, whosoever shall introduce any
education, and think thereby to make his city excellent and respectable,
will be absurd, while he expects to form it by such regulations, and not
by manners, philosophy, and laws. And whoever [1264a] would establish
a government upon a community of goods, ought to know that he should
consult the experience of many years, which would plainly enough inform
him whether such a scheme is useful; for almost all things have already
been found out, but some have been neglected, and others which have been
known have not been put in practice. But this would be most evident, if
any one could see such a government really established: for it would be
impossible to frame such a city without dividing and separating it into
its distinct parts, as public tables, wards, and tribes; so that here
the laws will do nothing more than forbid the military to engage
in agriculture, which is what the Lacedaemonians are at present
endeavouring to do.

Nor has Socrates told us (nor is it easy to say) what plan of government
should be pursued with respect to the individuals in the state where
there is a community of goods established; for though the majority
of his citizens will in general consist of a multitude of persons of
different occupations, of those he has determined nothing; whether the
property of the husbandman ought to be in common, or whether each person
should have his share to himself; and also, whether their wives and
children ought to be in common: for if all things