第25章

Itwillbeclearenoughthenthatinhisordinarydealingswhichgivehimareputationforhonestyhecoerceshisbadpassionsbyanenforcedvirtue；notmakingthemseethattheyarewrong，ortamingthembyreason，butbynecessityandfearconstrainingthem，andbecausehetremblesforhispossessions。

Tobesure。

Yes，indeed，mydearfriend，butyouwillfindthatthenaturaldesiresofthedronecommonlyexistinhimallthesamewheneverhehastospendwhatisnothisown。

Yes，andtheywillbestronginhimtoo。

Theman，then，willbeatwarwithhimself；hewillbetwomen，andnotone；but，ingeneral，hisbetterdesireswillbefoundtoprevailoverhisinferiorones。

True。

Forthesereasonssuchanonewillbemorerespectablethanmostpeople；yetthetruevirtueofaunanimousandharmonioussoulwillfleefarawayandnevercomenearhim。

Ishouldexpectso。

Andsurely，themiserindividuallywillbeanignoblecompetitorinaStateforanyprizeofvictory，orotherobjectofhonourableambition；hewillnotspendhismoneyinthecontestforglory；soafraidisheofawakeninghisexpensiveappetitesandinvitingthemtohelpandjoininthestruggle；intrueoligarchicalfashionhefightswithasmallpartonlyofhisresources，andtheresultcommonlyisthathelosestheprizeandsaveshismoney。

Verytrue。

Canweanylongerdoubt，then，thatthemiserandmoney—makeranswerstotheoligarchicalState？

Therecanbenodoubt。

Nextcomesdemocracy；ofthistheoriginandnaturehavestilltobeconsideredbyus；andthenwewillenquireintothewaysofthedemocraticman，andbringhimupforjudgement。

That，hesaid，isourmethod。

Well，Isaid，andhowdoesthechangefromoligarchyintodemocracyarise？Isitnotonthiswise？——ThegoodatwhichsuchaStatealmsistobecomeasrichaspossible，adesirewhichisinsatiable？

Whatthen？

Therulers，beingawarethattheirpowerrestsupontheirwealth，refusetocurtailbylawtheextravaganceofthespendthriftyouthbecausetheygainbytheirruin；theytakeinterestfromthemandbuyuptheirestatesandthusincreasetheirownwealthandimportance？

Tobesure。

TherecanbenodoubtthattheloveofwealthandthespiritofmoderationcannotexisttogetherincitizensofthesameStatetoanyconsiderableextent；oneortheotherwillbedisregarded。

Thatistolerablyclear。

AndinoligarchicalStates，fromthegeneralspreadofcarelessnessandextravagance，menofgoodfamilyhaveoftenbeenreducedtobeggary？

Yes，often。

Andstilltheyremaininthecity；theretheyare，readytostingandfullyarmed，andsomeofthemowemoney，somehaveforfeitedtheircitizenship；athirdclassareinbothpredicaments；andtheyhateandconspireagainstthosewhohavegottheirproperty，andagainsteverybodyelse，andareeagerforrevolution。

Thatistrue。

Ontheotherhand，themenofbusiness，stoopingastheywalk，andpretendingnoteventoseethosewhomtheyhavealreadyruined，inserttheirsting——thatis，theirmoney——intosomeoneelsewhoisnotonhisguardagainstthem，andrecovertheparentsummanytimesovermultipliedintoafamilyofchildren：andsotheymakedroneandpaupertoaboundintheState。

Yes，hesaid，thereareplentyofthem——thatiscertain。

Theevilblazesuplikeafire；andtheywillnotextinguishit，eitherbyrestrictingaman’suseofhisownproperty，orbyanotherremedy：

Whatother？

Onewhichisthenextbest，andhastheadvantageofcompellingthecitizenstolooktotheircharacters：——Lettherebeageneralrulethateveryoneshallenterintovoluntarycontractsathisownrisk，andtherewillbelessofthisscandalousmoney—making，andtheevilsofwhichwewerespeakingwillbegreatlylessenedintheState。

Yes，theywillbegreatlylessened。

Atpresentthegovernors，inducedbythemotiveswhichIhavenamed，treattheirsubjectsbadly；whiletheyandtheiradherents，especiallytheyoungmenofthegoverningclass，arehabituatedtoleadalifeofluxuryandidlenessbothofbodyandmind；theydonothing，andareincapableofresistingeitherpleasureorpain。

Verytrue。

Theythemselvescareonlyformakingmoney，andareasindifferentasthepaupertothecultivationofvirtue。

Yes，quiteasindifferent。

Suchisthestateofaffairswhichprevailsamongthem。Andoftenrulersandtheirsubjectsmaycomeinoneanother’sway，whetheronapilgrimageoramarch，asfellow—soldiersorfellow—sailors；aye，andtheymayobservethebehaviourofeachotherintheverymomentofdanger——forwheredangeris，thereisnofearthatthepoorwillbedespisedbytherich——andverylikelythewirysunburntpoormanmaybeplacedinbattleatthesideofawealthyonewhohasneverspoilthiscomplexionandhasplentyofsuperfluousflesh——whenheseessuchanonepuffingandathiswit’send，howcanheavoiddrawingtheconclusionthatmenlikehimareonlyrichbecausenoonehasthecouragetodespoilthem？Andwhentheymeetinprivatewillnotpeoplebesayingtooneanother’Ourwarriorsarenotgoodformuch’？

Yes，hesaid，Iamquiteawarethatthisistheirwayoftalking。

And，asinabodywhichisdiseasedtheadditionofatouchfromwithoutmaybringonillness，andsometimesevenwhenthereisnoexternalprovocationacommotionmayarisewithin—inthesamewaywhereverthereisweaknessintheStatethereisalsolikelytobeillness，ofwhichtheoccasionsmaybeveryslight，theonepartyintroducingfromwithouttheiroligarchical，theothertheirdemocraticalallies，andthentheStatefallssick，andisatwarwithherself；andmaybeattimesdistracted，evenwhenthereisnoexternalcause。

Yes，surely。

Andthendemocracycomesintobeingafterthepoorhaveconqueredtheiropponents，slaughteringsomeandbanishingsome，whi