We have now proved that there are various forms of government and have
assigned a reason for it; and shall proceed to show that there are
even more than these, and what they are, and why; setting out with the
principle we have already laid down. We admit that every city consists
not of one, but many parts: thus, if we should endeavour to comprehend
the different species of animals we should first of all note those parts
which every animal must have, as a certain sensorium, and also what is
necessary to acquire and retain food, as a mouth and a belly; besides
certain parts to enable it to move from place to place. If, then, these
are the only parts of an animal and there are differences between them;
namely, in their various sorts of stomachs, bellies, and sensoriums: to
which we must add their motive powers; the number of the combinations of
all these must necessarily make up the different species of animals.
For it is not possible that the same kind of animal should have any
very great difference in its mouth or ears; so that when all these are
collected, who happen to have these things similar in all, they make up
a species of animals of which there are as many as there are of these
general combinations of necessary parts.
The same thing is true of what are called states; for a city is not made
of one but many parts, as has already been often said; one of which is
those who supply it with provisions, called husbandmen, another called
mechanics, [1291a] whose employment is in the manual arts, without which
the city could not be inhabited; of these some are busied about what is
absolutely necessary, others in what contribute to the elegancies and
pleasures of life; the third sort are your exchange-men, I mean by these
your buyers, sellers, merchants, and victuallers; the fourth are your
hired labourers or workmen; the fifth are the men-at-arms, a rank not
less useful than the other, without you would have the community slaves
to every invader; but what cannot defend itself is unworthy of the name
of a city; for a city is self-sufficient, a slave not. So that when
Socrates, in Plato's Republic, says that a city is necessarily composed
of four sorts of people, he speaks elegantly but not correctly, and
these are, according to him, weavers, husbandmen, shoe-makers, and
builders; he then adds, as if these were not sufficient, smiths,
herdsmen for what cattle are necessary, and also merchants and
victuallers, and these are by way of appendix to his first list; as if
a city was established for necessity, and not happiness, or as if a
shoe-maker and a husbandman were equally useful. He reckons not the
military a part before the increase of territory and joining to the
borders of the neighbouring powers will make war necessary: and even
amongst them who compose his four divisions, or whoever have any
connection with each other, it will be necessary to have some one to
distribute justice, and determine between man and man. If, then, the