impossible that the same laws should be
calculated for all sorts of oligarchies and all sorts of democracies,
for of both these governments there are many species, not one only.

CHAPTER II

Since, then, according to our first method in treating of the different
forms of government, we have divided those which are regular into three
sorts, the kingly, the aristocratical, the free states, and shown
the three excesses which these are liable to: the kingly, of becoming
tyrannical; the aristocratical, oligarchical; and the free state,
democratical: and as we have already treated of the aristocratical and
kingly; for to enter into an inquiry what sort of government is best
is the same thing as to treat of these two expressly; for each of
them desires to be established upon the principles of virtue: and as,
moreover, we have already determined wherein a kingly power and an
aristocracy differ from each other, and when a state may be said to be
governed by a king, it now remains that we examine into a free state,
and also these other governments, an oligarchy, a democracy, and a
[1289b] tyranny; and it is evident of these three excesses which must be
the worst of all, and which next to it; for, of course, the excesses of
the best and most holy must be the worst; for it must necessarily happen
either that the name of king only will remain, or else that the king
will assume more power than belongs to him, from whence tyranny will
arise, the worst excess imaginable, a government the most contrary
possible to a free state. The excess next hurtful is an oligarchy; for
an aristocracy differs much from this sort of government: that which is
least so is a democracy. This subject has been already treated of by one
of those writers who have gone before me, though his sentiments are not
the same as mine: for he thought, that of all excellent constitutions,
as a good oligarchy or the like, a democracy was the worst, but of all
bad ones, the best.

Now I affirm, that all these states have, without exception, fallen into
excess; and also that he should not have said that one oligarchy was
better than another, but that it was not quite so bad. But this question
we shall not enter into at present. We shall first inquire how many
different sorts of free states there are; since there are many
species of democracies and oligarchies; and which of them is the most
comprehensive, and most desirable after the best form of government; or
if