that all the members of the state, by number, should enjoy an equality,
which seems chiefly to constitute a democracy, or government of the
people: for it seems perfectly equal that the rich should have no more
share in the government than the poor, nor be alone in power; but that
all should be equal, according to number; for thus, they think, the
equality and liberty of the state best preserved.

CHAPTER III

In the next place we must inquire how this equality is to be procured.
Shall the qualifications be divided so that five hundred rich should be
equal to a thousand poor, or shall the thousand have equal power with
the five hundred? or shall we not establish our equality in this manner?
but divide indeed thus, and afterwards taking an equal number both out
of the five hundred and the thousand, invest them with the power of
creating the magistrates and judges. Is this state then established
according to perfect democratical justice, or rather that which is
guided by numbers only? For the defenders of a democracy say, that that
is just which the majority approve of: but the favourers of an oligarchy
say, that that is just which those who have most approve of; and that we
ought to be directed by the value of property. Both the propositions are
unjust; for if we agree with what the few propose we erect a tyranny:
for if it should happen that an individual should have more than the
rest who are rich, according to oligarchical justice, this man alone
has a right to the supreme power; but if superiority of numbers is to
prevail, injustice will then be done by confiscating the property of the
rich, who are few, as we have already said. What then that equality is,
which both parties will admit, must be collected from the definition
of right which is common to them both; for they both say that what the
majority of the state approves of ought to be established. Be it so; but
not entirely: but since a city happens to be made up of two different
ranks of people, the rich and the poor, let that be established which
is approved of by both these, or the greater part: but should there be
opposite sentiments, let that be established which shall be approved
of by the greater part: but let this be according to the census; for
instance, if there should be ten of the rich and twenty of the poor, and
six of the first and fifteen of the last should agree upon any measure,
and the remaining four of the rich should join with the re