ics and those
who hire themselves out, the worst possible: in the same manner it may
be of any other set between these two. But when the rich and the noble
prevail more by their quality than they are deficient in quantity, there
an oligarchy ensues; and this oligarchy may be of different species,
according to the nature of the prevailing party. Every legislator in
framing his constitution ought to have a particular regard to those in
the middle rank of life; and if he intends an oligarchy, these should
be the object of his laws; if a democracy, to these they should be
entrusted; and whenever their number exceeds that of the two others, or
at least one of them, they give [1297a] stability to the constitution;
for there is no fear that the rich and the poor should agree to conspire
together against them, for neither of these will choose to serve the
other. If any one would choose to fix the administration on the widest
basis, he will find none preferable to this; for to rule by turns is
what the rich and the poor will not submit to, on account of their
hatred to each other. It is, moreover, allowed that an arbitrator is the
most proper person for both parties to trust to; now this arbitrator is
the middle rank.

Those who would establish aristocratical governments are mistaken not
only in giving too much power to the rich, but also in deceiving the
common people; for at last, instead of an imaginary good, they must feel
a real evil, for the encroachments of the rich are more destructive to
the state than those of the poor.

CHAPTER XIII

There are five particulars in which, under fair pretences, the rich
craftily endeavour to undermine the rights of the people, these are
their public assemblies, their offices of state, their courts of
justice, their military power, and their gymnastic exercises. With
respect to their public assemblies, in having them open to all, but in
fining the rich only, or others very little, for not attending; with
respect to offices, in permitting the poor to swear off, but not
granting this indulgence to those who are within the census;
with respect to their courts of justice, in fining the rich for
non-attendance, but the poor not at all, or those a great deal, and
these very little, as was done by the laws of Charondas. In some
places every citizen who was enrolled had a right to attend the public
assemblies and to try causes; which if they did not do, a very heavy
fine was laid upon