m a share in the government (nay, they will
rather be glad to have leisure to attend their private affairs) as at
suspecting that the officers of the state steal the public money, then
indeed they are afflicted with double concern, both because they are
deprived of the honours of the state, and pillaged by those who enjoy
them. There is one method of blending together a democracy and an
aristocracy, [1309a] if office brought no profit; by which means both
the rich and the poor will enjoy what they desire; for to admit all to
a share in the government is democratical; that the rich should be
in office is aristocratical. This must be done by letting no public
employment whatsoever be attended with any emolument; for the poor will
not desire to be in office when they can get nothing by it, but had
rather attend to their own affairs: but the rich will choose it, as
they want nothing of the community. Thus the poor will increase their
fortunes by being wholly employed in their own concerns; and the
principal part of the people will not be governed by the lower sort.
To prevent the exchequer from being defrauded, let all public money be
delivered out openly in the face of the whole city, and let copies of
the accounts be deposited in the different wards tribes, and divisions.
But, as the magistrates are to execute their offices without any
advantages, the law ought to provide proper honours for those who
execute them well. In democracies also it is necessary that the rich
should be protected, by not permitting their lands to be divided, nor
even the produce of them, which in some states is done unperceivably. It
would be also better if the people would prevent them when they offer to
exhibit a number of unnecessary and yet expensive public entertainments
of plays, music, processions, and the like. In an oligarchy it is
necessary to take great care of the poor, and allot them public
employments which are gainful; and, if any of the rich insult them, to
let their punishment be severer than if they insulted one of their own
rank; and to let estates pass by affinity, and not gift: nor to permit
any person to have more than one; for by this means property will be
more equally divided, and the greater part of the poor get into better
circumstances. It is also serviceable in a democracy and an oligarchy
to allot those who take no part in public affairs an equality or a
preference in other things; the rich in a democracy, to the poor i